Classic literature still deserves a mandatory place in high school curricula, despite declining student engagement. I've taught 'The Great Gatsby' for six years, and each term at least one student admits they only read the SparkNotes summary. Yet when we finally discuss themes like the American Dream, those same students often surprise me with sharp insights. Isn't grappling with challenging texts part of developing critical thinking, or are we just forcing outdated material on digital natives who'd learn more from contemporary diverse authors?