Lord of the Flies was a whole-class read in my 6th grade class. Would I have liked it better if I had read it a few years later (and if I didn't have to listen as the slow, stumbling readers take their turns to read aloud)? Maybe. Would I find Gatsby more relatable now than I did in high school? Maybe. On the other hand, I did re-read The Mysterious Stranger a long time after high school and found it just as unrewarding as ever.

I'm aware that some teachers like to hit up garage sales and used-book stores, building up their own personal libraries (not school-funded) to share with their students. That's something that can be built up over time.

And I agree that sometimes it's worthwhile to have everyone read the same thing for some of the reasons you stated. I just feel that some teachers take it much too far, having multiple assigned readings followed by dry discussions on theme. FWIW, John Lennon wrote "I Am the Walrus" to poke fun at those who try to over-analyze his songs.

How about this instead: have students read "The Highwayman" by Alfred Noyes and then have them produce a short play.