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I read Shakespeare (most of it) in both modernish adaptations and plays before I was 13 and Dickens, LOTR as well. had trouble understanding LOTR but slogged through it. This was all by choice. I also read most of Louis L'amour and a vast amount of comic books and poetry.
At 13 I discovered Science fiction and that was my main reading for a few years. Along with James Clavell, Taylor Caudwell and Leon Uris and things of that nature. (I can date this accurately because I switched to a school with a large science fiction selection and more historical fiction as well)
Nothing I read in school put me off reading obviously as I still manage to read a fair amount.
I agree that reading something difficult is not the way to enamour people of reading, but neither IMO is Dick and Jane.
Still by the time a student is required to read Shakespeare, they should be able to do it, enjoy it or not, and if they enjoy reading other material they will, most likely, still enjoy it.
Lots of things wrong with the education system but challenging students is perhaps better than boring them. In any subject there are people who will find it too hard or too easy, and many who cannot understand even the fundamentals of a subject or two. If the standards are changed so everyone understands and enjoys everything soon no one would be learning much.
I struggled with Home Economics among other subjects because we had to make food I detested, and I really wanted to be on the rifle range which was a no-no for females way back then or even Shop. But I am considered a gourmet cook by most of my friends today, so it didn't blight me for life.
Helen
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