Post #6: Readicide

Readicide is a problem in schools.  The love of reading is dying because all we are reading in school is literary fiction and it is boring to students.  Students like to read genre fiction and lessons can be made out of those types of books also.  If genre fiction was used more in school, maybe students would actually read the books and not just use Spark Notes.  It is still important to teach some literary fiction, but the 50/50 idea should be used so that students can read some genre fiction in school as well.  Literary fiction is not relevant to our current culture.  Kelly Gallagher said that one of his 18-year old students didn't know what Al-Qaeda was.  The student asked, "Who is this Al guy?"  This is ridiculous because this student was about to graduate and would be able to vote in the next election.  It is important that we read genre fiction that is more relevant today than literary fiction.  Not only do school curriculums need to start incorporating more genre fiction, but book awards also need to recognize the popular books that people enjoy.  What the book awards are doing now is preaching philosophical books that few people enjoy and trying to get people to read them.  Genre fiction is not less "worthy" than literary fiction, because it actually entices readers with interesting plots.  Books do not have to be based on ideas in order to be great.  It would be good for students if Macbeth were swapped for Hunger Games.  Things like that need to be done so that people will continue to enjoy reading.  Readicide will always be a problem until the curriculum is changed to include more interesting books.