Hi Anna, Thanks so much for this well written response to an insane situation. Loved it!

Susoni

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Re: Elementary School Librarian Rejects Melani....

Hi Susoni,

I've commented on a couple of quotes below. Please share if you feel that others might be interested.

“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.

I used these books with many adult immigrants. The Seuss series is a classic, that teaches vowel/consonant pattern sounds and English rhyme - essentially implicit explicit phonetics. Explicit phonetics are the foundation of our phonemic alphabet, without learning these, often with the benefit of an English educated family, most cannot progress beyond about grade 2 level. Students with visual or hearing impairment need particular help but, depending on the degree of impairment, might well not succeed significantly without healing the damage at the root of the impairment(s), imo, based on a lot of research and experience. The literacy program that I've developed includes teaching prefix, suffix and root words as well their related stress/unstress patterns.

My students from all around the world, greatly appreciated and enjoyed the process. The enthusiasm with which even middle-aged Asian business men, for example, drummed the rhythm on their desks as we'd read one of these books (see below) in unison, quite amazed our pedagogical consultant.

I always started with Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb, and still know it almost by heart! :)

"Hand, hand, fingers, thumb,
One thumb, one thumb,
Drumming on a drum.
Dum diddy, dumb diddy, dum, dum, dum!

another quote:

"[Soeiro] added that the Dr. Seuss books contained illustrations “steeped in racist propaganda” and offered an alternate list of ten books that include two titles advocating for the legalization of illegal aliens."

Perhaps it is the word monkeys that caused his "racist" labelling of the Seuss series,

Monkeys come and monkeys go,
Hands with Handkerchiefs blow blow blow! (and more)

or was it the Grinch Who Stole Christmas?! I didn't use that book in class because they moved on quickly enough into primarily adult ESL books at that level and that one really is a children's book. Even bilingual employees I taught benefitted from a remedial crash course on "The Sounds oF English," but at this level there is no need for Dr. Seuss! :)

Anyone who equates the use of monkeys in any children's book ( or movie?) with racism must have a seriously overactive agenda and judgemental imagination, or might even be outright projecting their own biases.

To me it's clear that the agenda is the general obliteration of rhyme and reason in the teaching of English, and many other languages as well, as many have written about - the dumbing down.

Best regards,

A

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PS: I went back and read some of the comments ... this one is great! :)

Michael Goldman • 20 hours ago
Oh, sure. This is horrible for kids... and "racist" now too!

Quotes:Favorite Dr. Seuss Quotes #1You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself, any direction you choose.
Dr. Seuss

Favorite Dr. Seuss Quotes #2Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you.
Dr. Seuss

Favorite Dr. Seuss Quotes #3From there to here, and here to there, funny things are everywhere.
Dr. Seuss

Favorite Dr. Seuss Quotes #4Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.
Dr. Seuss

Favorite Dr. Seuss Quotes #5Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So... get on your way.
Dr. Seuss