Whither the Bard

Discussion topic: Should Shakespeare be a required component of sta0ndard high school curricula? Permit me to step into the devil's advocate role (perhaps). Having witnessed far too many ninth graders completely turned off by the often impenetrable verse of Romeo and Juliet, I have to say no. And I don't want to hear about the dumbing down of American education. I would suggest that by substituting a rich, more relevant, much more contemporary work of classic American drama for a 500-year-old essentially foreign-language relic peopled with stereotyped, outdated characters we would be substantially upping the quality of secondary education, not diminishing it. Even Shakespeare's most accessible play says next to nothing to the vast majority of today's freshmen. Think about the ludicrous plot: two 13-year-olds (13, mind you) from rival families that fight openly in the streets consult with, among others, a batty nurse, a friar, and a ditzy friend who speaks of tiny fairies; conspire to elope; then decide quite literally to kill themselves when their plans go awry. And all the while they are speaking in some strange kind of figurative code. How many modern-day kids can relate to that?! This is American language arts we're talking about. Our students should be learning about the joys and struggles and themes of contemporary American life; and they shouldn't need extensive bottom notes to do so. Let Shakespeare be an elective for upper classmen; or better yet, let him be tackled in college. Here's a place to read about one possible replacement:

http://www.augustwilson.net/navigate.htm

Parting ways with the Bard will be sweet, but not sorrowful.