ELA curriculum needs a serious thrashing!

I teach juniors in high school. I teach literature. Our curriculum is laid out so that we teach how poets and writers of prose dealt with death. I have students who could write their own stories, and in my classes, they have. I have shared with them my connection to Julian Ross, and if you don't know his story, google him. My students and I have followed this wonderful, funny little mista, who has taught my kids, and me so much more than standard tests can assess, in 3 months about living. Dickinson is lovely and important, Uncle Walt is profound. My students are creating raps, from the heart that bring tears to my eyes. Take that, Common Core! Take that, Pearson, Holten-McGraw Hill. To my colleagues, "Teach like your hair was on fire!"