Why should students read To Kill a Mockingbird?

To Kill a Mockingbird should be required reading for high school students because it teaches about the United States’ racist past. The book also teaches students how to respect others and their elders. Here are several other good reasons why students should read TKAM:
1. Life Lessons
Atticus, the main character, teaches his children valuable life lessons throughout the story. He gives them many examples of how to be a decent person.
2. Gender Issues
Scout, Atticus’ daughter, is a classic tom-boy. Her Aunt Alexandra tries to change her, but her father and brother Jem allow her to be herself. They do not pressure her to be more feminine or wear girly clothes.
3. Relatable
The story is relatable because Scout is growing up and dealing with school issues as well as her place in society. Most high school students are going through the same thing.
4. Handling Confrontations
The story teaches students the appropriate way to handle confrontation. Atticus is an attorney and he defends his client from an angry mob without becoming violent. He uses words to diffuse them.

One might argue that the most compelling reason for reading To Kill A Mockingbird is that the story's timeless relevance and moral teachings are as applicable to modern readers as they were to readers at the time of the book's release. Published in 1960 and set during the Great Depression, the novel addressed the hard-hitting subject of racial prejudice at a time when the boycotts, protests, and acts of violence relating to the Civil Rights Movement were of national concern in the United States. The novel implores readers to empathize with others and treat everyone with tolerance and respect through the development of Atticus Finch, who fights for justice in an atmosphere of intolerance. Social justice is a subject of national attention even now, almost sixty years after the book's release; Tom Robinson's unfair conviction, as well as the overkill in his shooting at the hands of the prison guards, falls in line with current events in a nation still plagued by racial prejudice.
Readers of various ages and backgrounds can find inspiration through the actions of characters in the novel: a child might learn confidence from Scout, a parent might learn courage from Atticus, and a reader of any age can be encouraged to cultivate empathy through the circumstances surrounding Boo Radley and Tom Robinson. The coming-of-age aspect of the story and narration voiced by Scout are a draw to younger readers, who may not find other classic works of literature quite as accessible, while themes pertaining to morality and justice ensure that the book's overall appeal is universal. With decades of readers still regularly reaching for and discussing this classic American novel, one could logically redirect the question to instead ask, "why shouldn't students read To Kill A Mockingbird?" The story is perpetually relevant, as is the continuing need for compassion and empathy towards others, thus readers are likely to benefit from the account in a moral sense, as well as gain new insight into historical and current events.