White House press secretary Jen Psaki did not say why President Biden withdrew Dr. Seuss from “Read Across America Day”, the annual reading celebration in honor of the legendary child author.
While Biden followed the presidential tradition in proclaiming “Reading Day for America” on Tuesday, March 2, Dr. Seuss’ birthday, he resisted his predecessors by omitting any mention of Dr. Seuss in the proclamation.
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When asked at the White House press conference on Tuesday why the president left Dr. Seuss out, Psaki responded to the Department of Education.
“The proclamation was written by the Department of Education, and you could certainly talk to them about more details about its writing,” said Psaki. “But Read Across America Day, which is, you are right, did not exist forever, exists only a short time ago, elevates and celebrates the love of reading among the youngest leaders in our nation.”
1959: Children’s book author / illustrator Theodor Seuss Geisel poses with models of some of the characters he created. (Photo by John Bryson / Collection of LIFE images via Getty Images / Getty Images) ___________ A copy of Dr. Seuss’ book “And think I saw it on Mulberry Street” rests on a chair, Monday, March 1 , 2021, in Walpole, Massachusetts (AP Photo / Steven Senne)
(Getty / AP images)
Psaki said: “The day is also a chance to celebrate several authors whose work and experience reflect the diversity of our country, and that is certainly what they have tried or hope to do this year.”
“And as we celebrate the love of reading, we elevate diverse and representative authors, it is especially important to ensure that all children can see themselves represented and celebrated, celebrated in the books they read,” continued Psaki.
Psaki was asked if the decision had to do with the controversy surrounding the lack of diversity in Dr. Seuss’ books, to which she replied: “Once again, I think it is important for children of all origins to see themselves in children’s books. that they read. “
“But I would like to refer you to the Department of Education for more details on the wording of the proclamation,” said Psaki.
The decision was made after former President Barack Obama and former President Donald Trump highlighted Dr. Seuss’ contributions in their annual proclamations, found a Fox News analysis of the White House archives.
“The works of Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known to us as Dr. Seuss, have sparked the love of reading in generations of students,” said Obama in his 2015 proclamation. “His whimsical wordplay and curious characters inspire children to dream loud and remind readers of all ages that ‘a person is a person, no matter how small’. ”
American author and illustrator Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel, 1904-1991) is sitting at his drafting table in his home office with a copy of his book, “The Cat in the Hat”, La Jolla, California, 25 April 1957. (Photo by Gene Lester / Getty Images)
Obama’s proclamation in 2016 described Seuss as “one of the venerated artisans of the word” who “used his incredible talent to instill in his most impressionable readers the universal values that we all love”.
Trump, in his 2018 proclamation, urged Americans to “always remember Dr. Seuss’s still vibrant words: ‘You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can orient yourself in any direction you choose.’ ”
The then First Lady Melania Trump celebrated Reading Day in America in 2017 by reading Dr. Seuss’ books for hospitalized children.
Meanwhile, sales of six Dr. Seuss books will cease due to insensitive and racist images, according to Dr. Seuss Enterprises, which preserves and protects the author’s legacy.
“These books portray people in harmful and wrong ways,” Dr. Seuss Enterprises told the Associated Press in a statement.
“Ceasing sales of these books is only part of our commitment and our broader plan to ensure that the Dr. Seuss Enterprises catalog represents and supports all communities and families,” continues the statement.
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Copies of “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street”, “If I Ran the Zoo”, “McElligot’s Pool”, “On Beyond Zebra!”, “Scrambled Eggs Super!” And “The Cat’s Quizzer” will no longer be published.
The decision to stop publishing and selling the books was made last year, after months of discussion, the company told AP.
“Dr. Seuss Enterprises listened to and received feedback from our audience, including professors, academics and experts in the field as part of our review process. We then worked with a panel of experts, including educators, to review our title catalog,” said .
Dr. Seuss’s books – born Theodor Seuss Geisel in Springfield, Massachusetts, on March 2, 1904 – are sold in more than 100 countries.
The article “How the Grinch stole Christmas!” The author remains popular, earning about $ 33 million before tax in 2020, compared to just $ 9.5 million five years ago, the company said. Forbes listed him as second among the highest-paid dead celebrities of 2020, behind only the late pop star Michael Jackson.
As much as Dr. Seuss is adored by millions around the world for the positive values in many of his works, including environmentalism and tolerance, there has been growing criticism in recent years about the way blacks, Asians and other characters are attracted in some of his most beloved children’s books, as well as in his previous advertising and publicity illustrations.
The National Education Association, which founded Read Across America Day in 1998 and deliberately aligned it with Geisel’s birthday, for several years did not emphasize Seuss and encouraged a more diverse reading list for children.
A school system in Virginia recently decided to discourage recognition from National Read Across America Day in light of the controversy, which led to a discussion about the author and a decision to “cancel” his work on social media. The school system clarified in a February 27 statement that it is not banning the author’s books.
Peter Hasson, Audrey Conklin and Fox News’ The Associated Press contributed to this report.