I'm not sure how to process this article- is it better for teachers to let kids read whatever they'd like, or should teachers influence learning by enforcing the standard classics? Does creating a lifelong reading habit matter more than instilling a sense of quality?
George W. Bush's assistant education secretary asks what child would voluntarily read Moby Dick... which I agree is beyond the comprehension of the teenage mind. But there are shelves full of wonderful stories that lay the groundwork for a deeper appreciation of language that children should be made aware of. If left simply to pillage their parents' shelves, they might come up empty or with brain rot like James Patterson.
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