Lisangel,
I am very sorry for your situation -- I think this breakage issue is a big problem for the current round of e-ink readers. Any talk of trying to get such devices into the hands of students is completely irrelevant until they are made much sturdier (I'm a teacher.)
The other night I was reading in bed, set the Cybook down for a sec, and my miniature dachshund stepped on the screen as he was moving around the bed -- I was so freaked out! Turned out it was okay, but still, something this fragile is going to have to be improved before the masses are willing to shell out the kind of money these things cost right now.
Lelah
"A plebe with an expensive toy"