In school textbooks, choice is diminishing. Sameness and slickness challenge 'quality' at all levels. The textbook industry, instead of responding to complaints of scholars and book critics, is unyielding in its profit motive. As a result, educators are almost forced to use basic instructional materials that are shallow and flawed. Publishers are responsive to crudely applied political pressure. Diversity-based content decisions confuse the curriculum. New textbook editions across the curriculum reflect lowered sights for general education. Given persuasive research and commentary on what can be done to improve history textbooks, it is disturbing that corporations called educational publishers -- charged as they are with the public trust -- are close-minded and fatalistic about their products. Educational publishers could and should be producing cheaper books that are text-centered, simpler in design, and more honest in content. They are failing to do so, and in this they are shirking their public obligation