So the only place for the profits to go is to bonuses or shareholder profits.

How about put it in the friggin' bank so we don't have to use taxpayer money to bail you out when there's a bust in the market that you're gambling in?

Although I read and enjoyed much of the early WoT and find the mythos of the world interesting, in the end the lack of good editing and plot resolution leaves it out of the running for great fantasy. GRR Martin's Song of Fire and Ice is a much, much better literary series than Jordan's, although it may cross a boundary of what's "acceptable" to be taught in many school settings.

But series may not be what you want to use if you are going for breadth. Instead, I'd strongly recommend GG Kay's Tigana and Lions of Al-Rassan as excellent, single-novel works that are probably better being self-contained for a class. For a change of pace, Pratchett's Discworld series is perfect for introducing a bit of comedic parody to the otherwise dominantly dramatic genre. The books are self-contained and many parallel other literature, which may be fun to explore. His co-authored Good Omens is another great option for a class being self contained, which reminds me that Gaiman's American Gods is probably another good suggestion...