That sounds like laziness on the part of the instructor. Textbooks are subject to being outdated the moment they are printed; restricting the scope of learning to that in an age where information is free and easily accessible sounds absurd.

If that were my kid, I'd be asking for more context from the instructor/school on the situation. If the school's response isn't what I deemed acceptable, I'd demand either a change in the scope, or that my kid was placed in an environment that reflects how today's learning actually occurs.