One place that students in Crazy Cambridge Massachusetts should not go to visit is "The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum" - an amazing new museum west on the turnpike in Springfield Mass, that is dedicated to the iconic children's author and Springfield native Theodor Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss! Irony pervades the fact that the new museum features interactive exhibits that highlight Geisel’s revolutionary role in "changing how we learn to read......providing opportunities to experiment with new sounds and vocabulary, play rhyming games, and invent stories...." notes the museum site.
While Dr. Seuss’s Springfield roots is celebrated.... it is the charismatic characters in the children's books that are highlighted in the museum exhibits -- and at Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden -- characters that inspire children to learn. The Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden shows the characters parade as bronze sculptures -- the museum opening this year in the city where Theodor Seuss Geisel was born.
Yet in Cambridge, Mass, the librarian at the Cambrideport School Library rejected the ten Dr. Seuss books donated by Melania Trump, refusing the books by the infamous children's author whom the librarian deemed "as racist" - the books not allowed at the Cambridgeport School library.
The first lady gave the collection of titles by the renown Dr. Seuss children’s author to award-winning education programs around the country. The school librarian Liz Phipps Soeiro wrote a letter to Melania Trump informing her that “we will not be keeping the titles for our collection....My students were interested in reading your enclosed letter and impressed with the beautiful bookplates with your name and the indelible White House stamp, however, we will not be keeping the titles for our collection," wrote Soeiro in an open letter on a book blog...You may not be aware of this, but Dr. Seuss is a bit of a cliché, a tired and worn ambassador for children's literature," Soeiro wrote to Trump. "As first lady of the United States, you have an incredible platform with world-class resources at your fingertips. Just down the street you have access to a phenomenal children's librarian: Dr. Carla Hayden, the current Librarian of Congress. I have no doubt Dr. Hayden would have given you some stellar recommendations."
WHOA!!!! Insulated in the crazy Cambridge World, the librarian felt free to diss the first lady and the world renown children's book author........Soeiro wrote that Seuss's illustrations are "steeped in racist propaganda, caricatures and harmful stereotypes."
The Cambridge public school system released a statement that the librarian's public rejection of the gift did not represent a "formal" rejection of the gift. "Cambridge Public Schools supports the right of our employees to voice their personal opinions. The opinions expressed...were those of the writer, and not a statement on behalf of Cambridge Public Schools. This was not a formal acceptance or rejection of donated books, but a statement of opinion on the meaning of the donation," the statement said. "We have counseled the employee on all relevant policies, including donations policies and the policy against public resources being used for political purposes. While we enthusiastically support the political engagement and passion of our employees, in this instance the editorial posted online gave the impression that the statement reflected the position or actions of the Cambridge Public Schools. Our school district did not authorize any such statement."
The employee of the Cambridge School District should be suspended or fired for injecting politics in the operations of the school library - overstepping her authority to represent the school system, and interfering with the education of Cambridge students who are being taught Blue State politics are more important that the educational inspiring journey of the Dr. Seuss' characters available to all children -- characters that are steeped in creativity, a whirlwind of endless colors and shapes, negating racist propaganda, caricatures and harmful stereotypes. Attendance at the museum has already been an overwhelming success...now, the line for tickets will be longer as Blue State residents continue to show support for the wonderful world of Dr. Seuss.
Everybody welcome, come visit the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss. .