Enormous Textbooks

From In case you’re wondering why your kids’ handwriting isn’t up to snuff… by George:

OK, this isn’t the first time I’ve ranted about heavy, stupid textbooks for kids. But lookit THIS…

Remember George Carlin’s routine about his experience in Catholic school? “Sister Mary-Discipline and her steel ruler - ‘schwaak!!!’ across the knuckles - ‘He’s two years behind in his handwriting, Mrs. Carlin; we don’t know why.”

Ratchet forward 30 years or so. Now textbooks have gotten enormous and schools are so regimented that kids don’t have time to go to their lockers. And they’re required to carry a 3-ring binder for each class, with all their paperwork neatly organized (whether that system works for them or not). So they’re toting backpacks around that weigh 0.25 times their body weight. And apparently that cuts off blood flow in the arms, resulting in loss of fine-motor coordination.