I don't think there was ever no reading of nonfiction--that seems like an exaggeration. I know my DD has read tons of ho-hum nonfiction passages for reading comp practice. I do think fiction has been emphasized for full book reading, but I don't disagree with that myself.
I also agree that The New Colossus does not seem like 5th grade level, which appear to contradict everything said earlier in the piece--??
My first grader is reading that book in his regular class, in lieu of the reading the rest of the class is doing.
