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Banned from a college forum for asking a simple question about textbook prices
I asked in a student Facebook group why we needed a $400 calculus book when the PDF was free online. The mods deleted my post and gave me a 30 day ban. Has anyone else been shut down for just asking about cheaper alternatives?
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valsullivan1mo ago
30 days seems insane to me honestly. I got a week long ban from my school's subreddit for pointing out that the "required" $150 lab manual had a free version on the publisher's site if you clicked the right buttons. The mods called it "promoting piracy" but I was literally just trying to save people money. I still think it's stupid that schools partner with these companies to force students into overpriced materials. Especially when half the time the professor never even opens the book after the first week. Like who is really getting protected here, the students or the textbook industry?
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Gonna be honest, I kind of see where the mods are coming from here. Those Facebook groups are usually run by student volunteers who get sick of the same "why is this textbook so expensive" posts every single day. They probably have a rule against textbook price complaints because it always turns into a mess of people arguing or sharing illegal PDF links. Not saying a 30 day ban was fair, but asking about cheaper alternatives in a place that clearly doesn't want that convo is just asking to get hit.
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