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Every high school I know of is still teaching Shakespeare.
Two years ago I had the opportunity to assist one of the teachers at my dad's high school in teaching her unit on Romeo and Juliet. For most of these kids, this was their first exposure to Shakespeare, and they were EXCITED. It was contagious. I think, especially in the case of Shakespeare, it's all in how you present it to kids. In this particular case, it meant more interactive work, showing the video after they watched it (so they could check their comprehension), and lots of discussion.
Despite the "dumbing-down" of American society, there are a LOT of cultural references to Shakespeare. If kids don't get a handle on the classics, they'll miss a lot in current culture--even popular culture. From Homer to Dickens, they're all favorites of mine, and they're all worth learning about. I think all these kids need is a teacher who is excited about the book they're teaching.
Oh, and Grapes of Wrath is one of the worst novels by Steinbeck, in my opinion. Poorly written, lacks focus, etc--especially in comparison to Of Mice and Men, which is clearly focused and tightly written.
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If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau
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