High School is basically daycare for the older kids.

They kinda take over for history in literature as well as the places that your normal history classes don't cover.

well just by sifting through some of the nonsense on AB, it's pretty clear that not all of us know how to read and write.

Well, the point is that when you read enough of these answers and questions here in Answerbag, you will see that a HUGE percentage of folks don't know how to read or write. So, maybe we should have more english classes and then this nation of bloggers won't look and visually "sound" like bloody, blithering idiots. My only spelling and grammatical mistakes come from typos when I don't pay attention.

You miss the point. 1.) Judging by the writing on the web and even in Time magazine, your assumption is frankly wrong. Quite a few people do NOT know how to write. Based on literacy statistics, quite a few can't read, either. 2.)Interpretation is taught, not automatic. Reading isn't instinctive, and neither is processing the brain to interpret what is being read. 3.) Mainly, what you are missing is that most subjects are about mental discipline. The things learned are a pleasant bi-product. For instance, you probably think that algebra is useless to you because you won't need it. WRONG! You might. But why you are asked to study it is to train your brain to think that way. The fact that you now know algebra is nice, but not the point. It's the same with literature. Interpretation and processing the thinking of someone's writing is a mental discipline. If you now know a lot about Catcher in the Rye, then good. But that's not the point. Your brain is now trained to think that way. It's the same with history. And music. And geometry. And on and on. No one knows what SPECIFIC subjects you need, but what IS known is that the better adapted your brain is to think in many different ways to solve problems and to interpret your surroundings requires the discipline of learning a variety of subjects.

Here's my opinion: 1. Maybe the classes will help students to read and write BETTER. Spend a little time on Answerbag for instance, to see examples of some people in dire need of improving such skills. 2. When you analyze a book you're developing a critical eye, forming opinions and preferences, discussing them. 3. An essay often helps to develop your creative side. Maybe the problem is not English or Literature classes in general, but more with how they're taught and by whom.

I had a class in grade 8 exactly like that... Except all we did was Wonderwords and Read the scolastic magazine once a week. This teacher was on the verge of retirement and simply did not care. I spoke out (mind you it was rudely) and I failed his class - Can you imagine Failing Wonderwords? Well... The next year, I had the most wonderful English teacher ever. He really made English class interesting... He made us Public speak. For a month he did a mock up Court room, where we had to write the Story, research the crimes, act out our Court story - Everyone had a role / Part... he made us write about things that intrested us. Some classed were just a debate on any topic. He really stimulated us. It sounds like your teacher is not interesting you... So after a class one day... Talk to them and ask for something different to do... Don`t do what I did and be rude...

Spend a few minutes looking at AB questions and answers, you'll see enough their/they're/there screw ups and other miscellaneous butcherings of the English language to change your thinking I'm sure.

Wait till your boss asks you for some detailed report and you hand him/her 6th grade writing. Byebye.

The point of high school english classes is to look at literature IN DEPTH. The point is to get your brain to think about the inner workings of literature rather than a superficial plot synopsis. Also, those mundane essay topics are helping you fine-tune your writing skills so that you can construct a formal paper of any kind. If you plan on college, or an office job, you will seriously appreciate those mundane essay topics.

Unless you want to work in the fast-food business or manual labor all your life, high-school preps you for college, AND it teaches you to LEARN, to THINK for yourself, to THINK CRITICALLY, and to learn objectivity. Many people learn they LOVE to read through their high-school classes. Some learn they LOVE to write. Some learn about subjects they never even knew existed. Some learn to write poetry and song lyrics the correct way. Some learn to become critics. Unless you have money to pay for people to do your writing for you - letters, blogs, stories, articles, novels, whatever - to form cohesive sentences and paragraphs from your ramblings, to rearrange your writings so it makes sense, then learning more and more English is important. (And few manual laborers and fast-food people CAN afford this.) Yes. You know how to read and write at MAYBE an 8th grade level. That's NOTHING like what is needed for college or the real world.