Librarian Rejects Melania's 'Racist' Dr. Seuss Gift

'We will not be keeping the titles for our collection'
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 29, 2017 4:56 AM CDT
Updated Sep 29, 2017 6:33 AM CDT
Librarian Rejects Melania's 'Racist' Dr. Seuss Gift
Michelle Obama reads "Oh, the Things You Can Do That Are Good for You!," a Dr. Seuss-inspired book by Tish Rabe, during the Easter Egg Roll festivities on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington on April 6, 2015.   (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

The illustrations of Melania Trump's favorite children's author are "steeped in racist propaganda, caricatures, and harmful stereotypes," according to an elementary school librarian who rejected a gift from the first lady. Trump sent 10 Dr. Seuss books to the Cambridgeport School in Cambridge, Mass., to mark "National Read a Book Day," but librarian Liz Phipps Soeiro told her the school would not be keeping them, the Washington Post reports. In an open letter, Soeiro thanked the first lady, but she then described Seuss as "a tired and worn ambassador for children’s literature" and suggested 10 alternative children's books.

The Seuss books were sent to one award-winning school in each state. In her letter, Soeiro suggested Melania send books to "underfunded and underprivileged communities" struggling under Trump administration policies instead of her relatively wealthy community. Parents picking their children up outside the school told CBS News they supported the librarian. The school system, however, said Soeiro was "not authorized to accept or reject donated books" and has been reminded of policies against "public resources being used for political purposes." Hot Air notes that both Barack and Michelle Obama are big fans of Seuss and read his books to children at several White House events. (More Melania Trump stories.)

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