I received an email from Pearson Publishing the other day.
Attached to it was a pdf that they wanted me to sign authorizing a few authors to use the blogging rubric that I had created a few years ago. These authors were writing a college textbook potentially to be priced at $117 and they wanted to include my rubric in it. A few years ago I had signed the same paper allowing this resource of mine to be included in the first version of this book.
But this time I said no. This time I emailed them and simply said that I wasn’t interested in allowing them to use this piece. A few emails ensued where they questioned my decision and asked me to reconsider. In the end, I still said no thanks.
I’ve decided that there was no use allowing this piece of my work to be included in this textbook. This time, it just didn’t seem to make sense. I’ve been fortunate enough to have my classroom practices mentioned and examined in a number of books and articles. But, with my own stuff, everything I make and share online is covered under a Creative Commons license. If you want anything of mine; take it. Modify it. Use it in your classroom. Just don’t pretend its yours and sell it and make a bunch of money.
What effect will this have on Pearson publishing? None at all. I hope it doesn’t interfere with the authors (none of whom I know) or their work. I sincerely hope that their piece goes forward with this only being a small blip in the road for them. But in this day, when even a guy like me, an educator from a small town in the middle of nowhere, can have a global voice and share their work and ideas with anyone who wants it, publishing something in a locked down $117 book seems like an anachronism from another age.
By the way, here’s the link to the blogging rubric. Use it as you will.
