Dr. Seuss is under fire on his birthday.
March 2 is the anniversary of Dr. Seuss’ birth, as well as the annual Read Across America Day.
Started by the National Educational Association in 1998 as a way to promote children’s reading, the holiday is traditionally seen as being held in conjunction with Dr. Seuss’ birthday, although the two are technically distinct events.
However, President Joe Biden on Tuesday removed any mention of Dr. Seuss from his Read Across America Day proclamation amid accusations of “racial undertones” and derogatory imagery in the classic children’s books.
Presidents Donald Trump and Barack Obama had both mentioned Dr. Seuss in their respective proclamations for the annual day.
Tuesday also saw the announcement that Dr. Seuss Enterprises will no longer publish six of the author’s books because they allegedly “portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong.”
Amid “cancel culture” coming for Seuss, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey is not shying away from the traditional association between the author’s birthday and Read Across America Day. Ivey shared a video of her reading Dr. Seuss’ “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!”
In a statement to Yellowhammer News, Ivey press secretary Gina Maiola said, “Governor Ivey believes that there is no place for ‘cancel culture’ in our country.”
“Instead of worrying about telling kids it is wrong to read Dr. Seuss, let’s worry about getting them back in the classroom,” she continued. “As a former teacher, Governor Ivey believes teaching students that reading can be fun, that they should pursue their dreams and that the principle of treating everyone with kindness and respect are all relevant lessons today.”
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
Don’t miss out! Subscribe today to have Alabama’s leading headlines delivered to your inbox.