President Biden dropped Dr. Seuss from Read Across America Day, failing to mention the famed children’s author in his presidential proclamation — a decision that coincided with six of the beloved author’s books being pulled from publication for “racist and insensitive” depictions.
While both former President Obama and former President Trump included Dr. Seuss in their proclamations of the past, Biden bucked tradition and omitted any mention of the author or his legacy.
“On this Read Across America Day, we celebrate the parents, educators, librarians, and other champions of reading who help launch our Nation’s children on that critical path,” the proclamation read in part, with no mention of the author, whose real name is Theodor Seuss Geisel.
Similarly, a Virginia school system, Loudoun County Public Schools also omitted the books from its Read Across America lineup, citing racial “undertones” in the books.
The omission comes as Dr. Seuss Enterprises announced its decision to cancel the publication of six popular Dr. Seuss books, including 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.
“These books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong,” Dr. Seuss Enterprises told The Associated Press, claiming that ceasing sales reflects just “part of our commitment and our broader plan to ensure Dr. Seuss Enterprises’ catalog represents and supports all communities and families.”
The company said it made the decision after listening to feedback from its audience, which included teachers and “specialists in the field.”
“We then worked with a panel of experts, including educators, to review our catalog of titles,” it said.