From trudging through pages of centuries-old English to trying to decipher the meaning of the letter ‘A’ in “The Scarlet Letter,” or just skimming SparkNotes the night before a Socratic seminar, Woodbridge High students have long faced a daunting task: tackling the same required texts for their grade’s English class.

Behind the same few books students read each year, lies a long and intentional process that each book goes through, to ensure that they are both academically challenging and engaging. Yet as students continue their journey into the future, they begin to question the novels they read. Why are the books students get assigned not reflecting the current events of the world? And whyare students given the same, often outdated, books in their English class, year after year?

As teachers work to ensure that each book is both engaging and challenging, they also develop their own opinions regarding the texts they teach. For Samuel Lee, an English language development and American literature teacher, teaching these books is not just about meeting the standards; it is about trying to foster a love for reading that goes beyond the classroom, too.

“[I aspire to] meet a set of standards that help engage students in literary analysis and critical thinking, but also to foster an enjoyment for reading,” Lee said.

Teachers must walk the fine line between choosing something that has broader societal implications that has the ability to foster rich class discussion in addition to keeping students engaged. Furthermore, Lee explained that behind each book chosen, there is a strenuous process that each one of them goes through.

“We must get [the books] approved through the various district hierarchies. If the book is new to the district, it may have to be approved by the school board, and it would still need to be approved by the school site council, even if it is an old book that has already been approved before,” Lee said.

By the time the books are assigned to students, they have already undergone a series of approvals from various people; the lengthy and tedious approval process explains why students are left to read the same few classics, year after year.

Lee also added that the classes have specific requirements each book must meet and often limit what teachers can choose. “American literature would need a novel to be written by an American author and should typically have historical weight. We also aim for rigor, either in reading level or in the complexity of topics and themes,” said Lee.

With books having to meet criteria based on each specific class, teachers often lack the freedom or leeway to choose texts that are contemporary and more relevant to students; they are left with limited options to choose from. This is why titles like “The Great Gatsby”, with its jazz age commentary on the American dream, continue to appear every year. They may not be the most exciting books, but they fit the standards that teachers are expected to meet. Indeed, these novels carry lessons, showing that books can prove to be both rigorous and relevant.

As for the student experience, reading these books creates many different feelings. Senior Jamie Lee, throughout her English career, has read classics including “To Kill a Mockingbird” during her freshman year and“Crying in H Mart” during her junior year. Since many of the books are selected with the intent of engaging students in critical and analytical thinking, they bring a layer of complexity that can make them difficult to get through and understand.

“My least favorite was The Scarlet Letter because I had no idea what was going on more than half the time, and I don’t really remember it, so I must have not understood it very well,” Jamie Lee said.

Additionally, Jamie Lee jokes that she would love to read a book in her English class for fun, not only as a way of entertainment but as a break from in-depth socratic seminars and essays to

analyze the text.

“From trying to find life lessons hidden in text, you might not even understand the plot. Somehow, they always pick very popular and incredibly impactful literature for our society, and yet [I struggle to connect to them.] I feel a lot of them have noticeable societal commentary, and they were all published before the 2000s, except ‘Persepolis,’’ Jaime Lee said.

Even though the bulk of the texts stay the same from one year to the next in each class, teachers recognize the need for fresh, contemporary books that students find truly engaging, relatable and enjoyable. Therefore, teachers are often open to giving students opportunities, such as independent book projects, to ensure that students get the chance to read a book of their choice for the class.

Adding to the debate, English 1 and senior college prep English teacher Tyler Sparks expands on the types of books students read and what he thinks their effects are on students.

“I don’t like that a lot of books are the ones that have been taught since I was a freshman, so I would like at least some more modern texts to be put into the curriculum,” Sparks said. “I don’t think we have to get rid of everything, but I think it would be nice if maybe at least one book per year was [modern]. I know some teachers are talking about trying to change this.”

Sparks admits that while the classics have their place, it would not hurt to add some newer books that were written after students were born. Although he is not suggesting that a book that has blown up on BookTok to suddenly become a required text, he does think that it’s time the curriculum reflects modern voices and stories that students can easily connect with and learn from.

As teachers begin discussing ways to include modern works, there is hope that the curriculum will start reflecting the diverse voices and current issues that resonate with students today. Sparks believes that exposure to newer authors can inspire students to think critically and empathetically about the world they live in, while still appreciating the classics that built the foundation of literary study.

Both teachers believe that expanding the reading list can create more meaningful discussions in class to see reading as a personal experience, not just an academic task. By finding a thoughtful balance between classic and contemporary works, strategically assigned readings can transform how students view literature.

In the coming years, students may see required reading for English classes expand beyond the centuries-old classics to include books that reflect the world they are growing up in and the diverse voices shaping the present.