Textbook fees are unfair tax on families

School is back in session! Oh yes, that wonderful time of the year, when parents get textbook rental fee shock. These fees range anywhere from $100 to $300 per child, depending on what grade the child is in and what courses they take. If you take into consideration school supplies, clothes, shoes, etc., the cost can be astronomical.\nEach fall, local social service agencies receive requests from families who have had to let other bills, such as rent, utilities and food, go unpaid in order to afford their children's back-to-school expenses and textbook rental fees. These are hard-working families, who, despite their best efforts, struggle from paycheck to paycheck. This is wrong and unnecessary.\nIndiana is the only state that charges children in kindergarten through high school for the use of textbooks. These fees amount to nothing more than a tax on families with school-age children. They cause an undue burden on those who do not qualify for subsidized textbooks, but find it very difficult to pay the fees on their own. It also hurts our schools. They are losing thousands of dollars each year because the state does not fully reimburse them for the cost of providing books to children who qualify for textbook assistance.\nHow can you help? Although legislation has been introduced in the past, it has hit roadblocks from various sources. You need to have your voice heard in this election year. Both major gubernatorial candidates have expressed interest in this issue. Let these gentlemen and your local legislators know that it is time to eliminate textbook rental fees. It is the right thing to do for our children, our young families and our schools.