National Education Association 2008: ‘People of All Ages Love Dr. Seuss’

In 1998, the National Education Association (NEA) — the country’s largest teachers union — linked arms with Dr. Seuss to promote “Read Across America Day.”

Education World reported on the first events designed to make reading fun:

Those were among the events held on the first ever Read Across America Day, March 2, 1998. Read Across America Day — which also just happens to be Dr. Seuss’s birthday — is sponsored by the National Education Association, and NEA officials estimated that at least half a million educators and millions of children were part of that first celebration. They were joined by celebrities, athletes, governors, mayors, firefighters, politicians, judges, and others.

Amid the rush to cancel the works of Theodor Seuss “Ted” Geisel, the NEA at one time could not heap enough praise on the man’s works.

“People of all ages love Dr. Seuss,” then NEA president Bob Chase said in 2008, the news site said.

“He epitomizes a love of children and learning. Read Across America Day is truly one of the largest celebration of literacy this country has. Dr. Seuss would be proud.”

According to the Education World, Chase said, “We are calling for every child in every school in every community to be in the company of a book on Read Across America Day, in celebration of Dr. Seuss’s birthday.”

In 2012, the NEA promoted the Dr. Seuss book “The Lorax,” which was being released in theaters as a movie on the same day.

“Every year on NEA’s Read Across America Day, the imaginations of children across the country are ignited when they open up a good book,” then NEA President Dennis Van Roekel said, the union reported. “‘The Lorax’ is not only entertaining to read, but it also highlights the importance of protecting our air, land and water. Our students deserve to learn in a safe, healthy environment.”

“Dr. Seuss not only teaches kids about taking care of our planet with ‘The Lorax,’ he helps them learn the fundamentals of reading through all of his books,” movie actor Danny DeVito said. “I’m so happy to be a part of Read Across America’s efforts to spread these timeless messages to children throughout the country.”

Kyle Olson is a reporter for Breitbart News. He is also host of “The Kyle Olson Show,” syndicated on Michigan radio stations on Saturdays–download full podcast episodes. Follow him on Parler.