Removing Of Classic Literature

Here is my response to the following article about future education in the United States

• http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/booknews/9729383/Catcher-in-the-Rye-dropped-from-US-school-curriculum.html

The new school system in which the curriculum has changed to make mandatory that 70 per cent of books studied to be non-fiction, in an effort to ready pupils for the workplace could be detrimental to the growing youth. Throughout my years I have read many different types of famous literature in which I believe have transformed not only the way I read, but have taught me lessons and many past events. From Shakespeare to Harper Lee, these famous authors need to remain a part of the education in the school system as they develop and broaden the knowledge of kids.

In the article it states that the “informational texts” which have been approved by the Common Core State Standards will help give the kids the information needed to allow them to excel in the workplace. Kids are already fed knowledge throughout school and by making 70 percent of books non-fiction the student body will become a group of robots with no imagination. That’s the beauty about the literature such as Macbeth and To Kill a Mockingbird. Everybody sees them different. People interpret them, visualize them differently and are able to take away different morals and lessons. Which informational texts, what you see is what you get. There is no depth to the reading. You read it, take in the information, remember it for a short period, and then forget about it soon after. Out of classes in grade nine that I took almost 4 years ago the only parts that I remember are the to pieces of literature which I read in English.

I think that Jamie Highfill said it right;

"In the end, education has to be about more than simply ensuring that kids can get a job. Isn't it supposed to be about making well-rounded citizens?"

In the workplace and in university it may no longer be who has the best grades or is the smartest. Now a days there is most likely a person who is just as smart as you or may have the exact same grades. What it comes down to is how well rounded the person is. If you have no emotions or opinions then you will not make it in to university or get the job you wanted. By reading classic literature you develop many of the skills needed to become a better-rounded person. Just because these books are fiction does not mean that what message they are trying to convey is not real. I take Harper Lees, To Kill a Mockingbird as an example. It was back in a time where black peoples rights were slim to none. Yet, Atticus Finch, a white attorney stands up against all odds, and against the rest of the town to help a innocent black man. Not only is there example of history in this book, but it has a character in which people should look up to.