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School librarian, citing 'racist propaganda,' rejects Melania Trump's gift of Dr. Seuss books

One of Melania Trump's favorite books is Dr. Seuss' "Oh, the Places You'll Go!," which she read with her son, Barron, "over and over" when he was younger.

The first lady, who is increasingly carving out a public profile for herself, chose the classic children's book and nine other Dr. Seuss titles to send to an elementary school in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in celebration of "National Read a Book Day."

But a librarian at Cambridgeport School refused to accept the gift, criticizing Trump administration education policies and images in the books.

Seuss' illustrations are "steeped in racist propaganda, caricatures, and harmful stereotypes," librarian Liz Phipps Soeiro wrote in a letter to Trump on Tuesday.

Giving the books was part of Trump's effort to use her platform "to help as many children as she can," White House spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said.

Those efforts include hosting a roundtable discussion Thursday about the opioid epidemic, including how it affects youths, and speaking at a luncheon on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly about work she hopes to do as an anti-bullying advocate.

The Department of Education chose one high-achieving school in every state to receive a package of books from Trump, according to a statement from the White House.

"Turning the gesture of sending young school children books into something divisive is unfortunate, but the First Lady remains committed to her efforts on behalf of children everywhere," Grisham said.

In her letter to children receiving the books, Trump called getting an education "perhaps the most important and wondrous opportunity of your young lives."

"Your education will be a lifelong pursuit that will sustain and carry you far beyond your wildest imagination, if you will let it," she wrote. "Remember, the key to achieving your dreams begins with learning to read."

On Sept. 6, she encouraged everyone to read a book, and to let every page "take you on an exciting journey."

The Cambridge school system released a statement saying the librarian "was not authorized to accept or reject donated books on behalf of the school or school district," according to CBS Boston.

"We have counseled the employee on all relevant policies, including the policy against public resources being used for political purposes," the district said in the statement. Representatives from the school system did not respond to requests from The Washington Post for comment.

Phipps Soeiro points to recent literature that addresses potential racism in Seuss' work, including a book by professor of children's literature Philip Nel that argues Seuss' depiction of the Cat in the Hat was based on racial stereotypes and inspired by traditions of blackface entertainment.

Seuss has long been associated with children's literacy. The National Education Association's annual "Read Across America" day - when cities and towns across the country host events to celebrate reading - is March 2, Seuss' birthday.

"One of the reasons we partnered with Seuss 20 years ago in 1997 was to kick-start this program," NEA spokesman Steven Grant told the School Library Journal.

"That was the strategy up front, so kids would see Dr. Seuss' Cat in the Hat and spark some attention."

He said an estimated 45 million students and teachers take part in the reading events annually, and that in the past two years, the program's mission has been shifting toward promoting diverse literature.

But the author still has many admirers, including President Barack Obama, who said he is "still a big Dr. Seuss fan" when he visited a library in Southeast Washington in 2015.

He hailed Seuss as "one of America's revered wordsmiths" in a presidential proclamation on 2016's Read Across America Day.

"Theodor Seuss Geisel - or Dr. Seuss - used his incredible talent to instill in his most impressionable readers universal values we all hold dear," Obama wrote.

"Through a prolific collection of stories, he made children see that reading is fun, and in the process, he emphasized respect for all; pushed us to accept ourselves for who we are; challenged preconceived notions and encouraged trying new things."

'My students have access to a school library with over nine thousand volumes and a librarian with a graduate degree in library science,' Phipps Soeiro wrote.

Published in time for the centenary of Seuss's birth in March 2004, Dr. Seuss: American Icon, celebrates one of the most influential authors and artists of the 20th century: Theodor Seuss Geisel, best known as 'Dr. Seuss'. Dr Seuss's ascendance from children's author to American icon confirms that his cultural significance rests not just with the beginning reader, but with the scholar, the artist, and the poet.

Seuss's Beginner Books(starting with The Cat in the Hat in 1957) have obscured the enormous range of his contributions to American literature. Similarly his art, unfairly overlooked because it appears in children's books, cartoons, and commercials, actually covers a range of styles, including Surrealism, Art Nouveau, and Cubism.

Bringing to light the adult perspective behind the children's writer, Philip Nel examines Seuss's lesser-known works, such as the 'adult book' The Seven Lady Godivas (1939), and the live-action musical The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T (1953). The book also features the most comprehensive Seuss bibliography ever produced, documenting his prodigious output.

As well as establishing Seuss's place among poets and artists, Dr. Seuss: American Icon links the Seuss people know and the Seuss people do not know.

Lord Jim wrote:... But a librarian at Cambridgeport School refused to accept the gift, criticizing Trump administration education policies and images in the books... Seuss' illustrations are "steeped in racist propaganda, caricatures, and harmful stereotypes," librarian Liz Phipps Soeiro wrote in a letter to Trump on Tuesday.