Value of reading the Canterbury Tales in class

Mr. Dye presents an interesting question: what is the value of reading the Canterbury Tales? I think that reading them isn't absolutely nessicary but is a good idea. They give us a good glimps into the middle ages and shows us that people back then really weren't that different then the people in the world today. I think if we read all the tales then we would find that we all could relate to at least one person.
Then there's the whole point that hardly anything was written about women or from them during that time period. We know hardly anything about the life of women back then and it's very interesting to read something from a woman's point of view because back then it was so rare.
Then there's the question of whether or not his class should read the Tales next year. I personally do not have an oppinion, but what do all you think? Should Mr. Dye make the students next year read the Canterbury Tales?