{"id":45460,"date":"2017-09-30T09:48:09","date_gmt":"2017-09-30T09:48:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/?p=45460"},"modified":"2017-09-30T09:48:43","modified_gmt":"2017-09-30T09:48:43","slug":"melania-trump-fires-back-librarian-rejected-gift-dr-seuss-books-racist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/politics\/melania-trump-fires-back-librarian-rejected-gift-dr-seuss-books-racist.html","title":{"rendered":"Melania Trump fires back at librarian who rejected gift of Dr. Seuss books as ‘racist’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Melania Trump fires back at librarian who rejected gift of Dr. Seuss books as ‘racist’<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Melania Trump fires back at librarian who rejected gift of Dr. Seuss books as ‘racist’:- First lady Melania Trump fired back Friday at a Massachusetts elementary school librarian who rejected her donation of Dr. Seuss books, claiming their illustrations are examples of \u201cracist propaganda.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Stephanie Grisham, director of communications for the first lady’s office, said in a statement to Fox News that the response was “unfortunate,” and Mrs. Trump wanted to use her platform “to help as many children as she can.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“She has demonstrated this in both actions and words since her husband took office, and sending books to children across the country is but one example,” she said. “To turn the gesture of sending young students some books into something divisive is unfortunate, but the First Lady remains committed to her efforts on behalf of children everywhere.”<\/span><\/p>\n

To celebrate \u201cNational Read a Book Day,\u201d the first lady had sent out a collection of 10 Dr. Seuss books to one school in each state across the nation. The titles included: “The Cat in the Hat”; “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish”; “Wacky Wednesday”; “Green Eggs and Ham”; and “Oh, the Places You\u2019ll Go!”<\/span><\/p>\n

She followed in the footsteps of her predecessor, Michelle Obama, who often read Dr. Seuss books to children. Former first ladies Hillary Clinton and Barbara Bush also read to children at Dr. Seuss-themed educational events.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to send you a special gift. Dr. Seuss\u2019s Oh, the Places You\u2019ll Go! is a book my son and I have read over and over again, and one that we want to share with all of you,\u201d the first lady wrote in her letter to students. \u201cPlease also remember that you are the future of America and that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

But despite the gesture, Liz Phipps Soeiro, a librarian at a public school in Cambridge, wrote a letter to the first lady, which was then published on The Horn Book blog, notifying Mrs. Trump that her school would \u201cnot be keeping the titles\u201d for their collection, explaining that her school didn\u2019t have a \u201cNEED\u201d for the books, due to her school and library\u2019s \u201caward-winning\u201d status.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI work in a district that has plenty of resources, which contributes directly to \u2018excellence,\u2019\u201d Soeiro wrote. \u201cMy students have access to a school library with over nine thousand volumes and a librarian with a graduate degree in library science.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Soeiro went on to slam the White House and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos for not gifting the books to \u201cunderfunded and underprivileged communities,\u201d which she suggested \u201ccontinue to be marginalized\u201d by DeVos\u2019 policies.<\/span><\/p>\n

But Soeiro seemed to be the most offended by the books themselves.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnother fact that many people are unaware of is that Dr. Seuss\u2019s illustrations are steeped in racist propaganda, caricatures, and harmful stereotypes,\u201d Soeiro wrote, giving examples of “If I Ran a Zoo” and “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street” as clear \u201cracist mockery\u201d in Seuss\u2019 art.<\/span><\/p>\n

While Soeiro bristled at Melania Trump’s donation, former first lady Michelle Obama also read Dr. Seuss books to children a number of times during the previous administration, without controversy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Soeiro seemed to recommend journal articles, reports, and books for Mrs. Trump, to inform her on the \u201csystemic racism and oppression in education and literature.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI am honored that you recognized my students and our school. I can think of no better gift for children than books; it was a wonderful gesture, if one that could have been better thought out,\u201d Soeiro wrote, attaching a list of 10 books that she hoped would \u201coffer a window into the lives of the many children affected by the policies of your husband\u2019s administration.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou and your husband have a direct impact on these children\u2019s lives,\u201d Soeiro wrote, encouraging the first lady to \u201creach out\u201d to their \u201clocal librarian\u201d for recommendations. \u201cPlease make time to learn about and value them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Soeiro\u2019s profile on The Horn Book says she is \u201can advocate for inclusive libraries and active in her community to create spaces that are welcoming to all students.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Source:-\u00a0http:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/2017\/09\/29\/librarian-rejects-melania-trump-s-dr-seuss-books-calls-them-racist-propaganda.html<\/span><\/p>\n

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