Librarian Who Rejected Melania Trump's 'Racist' Dr. Seuss Books Once Dressed as 'Cat in the Hat'
A Massachusetts school librarian, who criticized first lady Melania Trump for giving Dr. Seuss books to schools alleging they carried a "racist propaganda," once wore the character's signature red-and-white hat and matching stockings as she cradled a Cat in the Hat doll.
Social media users are reposting several pictures of Liz Phipps Soeiro, a librarian at Cambridgeport Elementary School in Cambridge, where she can be seen holding a Cat in the Hat doll and wearing a red-and-white hat and matching stockings, as reported by Mass Live.
Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss! K and 1 celebrated with a green egg breakfast! @Cport_School@cambridge_cpsdpic.twitter.com/9st5TmSmpi
— CPORT | Specialists (@Cport_Special) March 3, 2015 Get Our Latest News for FREE
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Earlier this month, Trump had given 10 Dr. Seuss books to one school in each state to mark the National Read a Book Day. However, Soeiro rejected the gift and wrote an open letter to her.
"Cities like Philadelphia, Chicago, and Detroit are suffering through expansion, privatization, and school 'choice' with no interest in outcomes of children, their families, their teachers, and their schools," the librarian wrote in the letter.
"Are those kids any less deserving of books simply because of circumstances beyond their control? Why not go out of your way to gift books to underfunded and underprivileged communities that continue to be marginalized and maligned by policies put in place by Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos? Why not reflect on those 'high standards of excellence' beyond only what the numbers suggest? Secretary DeVos would do well to scaffold and lift schools instead of punishing them with closures and slashed budgets."
She added, "Another fact that many people are unaware of is that Dr. Seuss's illustrations are steeped in racist propaganda, caricatures, and harmful stereotypes."
Stephanie Grisham, director of communications for the first lady's office, responded to the accusation in a statement to Fox News, calling the librarian's response "unfortunate," and saying that Trump wanted "to help as many children as she can."
"She has demonstrated this in both actions and words since her husband took office, and sending books to children across the country is but one example," Grisham said. "To turn the gesture of sending young students some books into something divisive is unfortunate, but the first lady remains committed to her efforts on behalf of children everywhere."
In February, leftists mocked and ridiculed the First Lady online for her reading of the Lord's Prayer at a rally in Melbourne, Florida, for her husband, President Donald Trump.
Evangelist Anne Graham Lotz defended her, saying, "Praising God for FLOTUS' bold and courageous, reverent and sincere leading in Lord's Prayer. Well done."
"Thank you, Melania Trump, for your prayer tonight. My prayer for you is Numbers 6:24–26. 'The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace,'" wrote the evangelist, daughter of popular preacher Billy Graham, on Facebook.
In 2015 former president Barack Obama praised Dr. Seuss books when he visited a library in Southeast Washington, according to The Washington Post. And in 2016 he "hailed Seuss as 'one of America's revered wordsmiths' in a presidential proclamation on Read Across America Day."
"Theodor Seuss Geisel — or Dr. Seuss — used his incredible talent to instill in his most impressionable readers universal values we all hold dear," Obama wrote.
"Through a prolific collection of stories, he made children see that reading is fun, and in the process, he emphasized respect for all; pushed us to accept ourselves for who we are; challenged preconceived notions and encouraged trying new things."
