It was always this way

While I totally agree with you, this meme isn't referring to college text books. It's referring to school supplies and clothes for elementary school children.

The vast majority of public schools in the US are severely underfunded and don't have enough supplies like markers, disinfectant, crayons, pencils, etc to provide kids and teachers don't make very much money, yet they often come out of pocket to buy supplies. What has happened as a result, is parents have to purchase many of these supplies to send to school with their kids for the whole classroom to have the items they need. I have three kids in kindergarten and second grade. Their school supply lists were about $150 each. With creative shopping for sales, we managed to get everything about $150 cheaper than listed. We are waiting for the tax-free weekend to buy clothes for all of them.

Gotta love the good ol' US of A and it's hatred of the poors.

It really should be illegal. Especially when they rearrange some text and call it a new book and require that new book every other term.

Scum of the earth.

In the US, in the weeks leading up to the new school year starting late August/early September, many retailers will offer discounts on school supplies - paper, pencils and pens, backpacks, etc - to attract customers. Many clothing retailers market it to students as a great time for a wardrobe refresh or to reinvent your look entirely and offer discounts. Same deal with electronics, especially since higher math courses tend to have required calculators. Some states - including Ohio, where I live - offer a sales tax holiday on a weekend during this season to help with the expense involved.

It's wicked expensive with just one kid, I can't imagine having several.

It's the time in America at the end of summer when the "back to school" list's come out for each grade of each school.

I'm a parent, and I sponsor this message.