I'm a black woman and I love Jane Austen. I admit, I had the mindset of many of the students you talk about, thinking her novels were boring or that I wouldn't be able to relate to them (or that the writing would be difficult to understand). But as an adult, I decided to get over my apprehension and I've found none of the above to be true. In fact, I find that I can relate to most of the heroines and it's interesting and refreshing to read about an era from so long ago. I totally agree that people should read books that push past their own comfort zones and try to see and experience life from other perspectives. I find that I can relate to things Emily Bronte or Alexander Pushkin wrote about. And that's a good thing, because we are all human, and it's the universal experience of life that connects us all. Or something like that. Cheers and happy reading!