Right: During the annual USA-wide Read-Across-America Day, President Joe Biden's address did not mention Dr Suess books, despite the fact that the founders of the movement deliberately chose the celebration date to be Theodor Geisel's birthday.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki explained that it was important that ''all children can see themselves represented and celebrated in the books that they read''.
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Arguments against withdrawing from publication six Dr Seuss's books
1. Removing these books unfairly tarnishes Dr Seuss's reputation and threatens the survival of his other works
Opponents of six Dr Seuss books being withdrawn from publication complain that the action places the author's entire body of work in a negative light and threatens the continued availability of his other works. They argue that this withdrawal unfairly casts doubt on the value of all of Geisel's stories and illustrations.
It has been argued that the withdrawal of these six Dr Suess titles from publication implies an unjust criticism of Geisel's work as a whole. In an opinion piece published in the Adelaide Advertiser on March 6, 2021, David Penberthy stated that this withdrawal 'suggests that nuanced and thoughtful discussion is pretty much dead when a person who was almost uniformly as good as Seuss can be judged so harshly on the basis of a few missteps...It is a great pity, as it makes a man who did more than any author to advance child literacy in the 20th century look like a flawed figure whose prejudices were so acute such that they need to be expunged from his record.'
Defenders of Geisel's work stress that its overall emphasis is positive and enlightened, promoting values such as acceptance and environmentalism. Geisel's stepdaughter Lark Grey Dimond-Cates described him as 'a sensitive, intelligent, caring man', noting that he revised some of his illustrations over time and advocated for environmental conservation through books such as 'The Lorax'.
Critics not connected with Geisel's family have similarly argued that there remains a great deal that is valuable in the children's books he wrote. P J Grisar, the culture reporter for Forward, has noted, '"A person's a person, no matter how small" is a mantra we must all accept...The parable of the Star-Bellied Sneetches, inspired by Seuss's... disdain for antisemitism, still has much to say about prejudice. "The Lorax" is a lovely ... environmental homily. And elsewhere Seuss warns children, in animal terms divorced from race, against being vain or envious ("Gertrude McFuzz") or prideful ("The Big Brag"). Even though Seuss never had children himself... he nonetheless instilled in several generations a moral compass that, for the most part, points true north.' Similarly, Robby Soave, a senior editor for Reason, noted, 'Dr. Seuss's most famous books tend to promote liberal and anti-authoritarian messages. The best-known example is probably "The Lorax", a save-the-environment parable, but it's hardly the only one. "The Butter Battle Book" is a Cold War satire, and the eponymous villain of "Yertle the Turtle" is meant to echo the rise and fall of Adolph Hitler.' Concern has been expressed that Geisel's work as a whole may come to be challenged and discounted as a consequence of the withdrawal of these six titles. Critics have argued that the withdrawal may prove the start of a much larger bid to remove all or most of the author's works from publication. Dr Seuss Enterprises has said that it is 'committed to listening and learning and will continue to review our entire portfolio.'
This has been understood by some to mean that other books by Geisel are likely to follow the six that were named in March 2021onto a list of Dr Seuss books no longer to be made available. Robby Soave warned, 'The report that led to the cancellation of the six books also stipulates that "The Cat in the Hat" embodies a "racist tradition" and that "Horton Hears a Who!" reinforces themes of white supremacy. I would not be surprised to find the entire Seuss canon under attack a few years from now.' Herald Sun columnist Susie O'Brien has argued that those condemning and calling for the removal of Dr Suess books are misdirected and that their efforts may cause far more harm than good. O'Brien notes, 'People going to great lengths to vilify Dr Seuss's canon miss the point that his books are silly and fun. They're about star-belly sneetches and quimneys in chimneys and things that like to sing.' Robby Soave has similarly cautioned, 'Learning to read was very boring until The Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs and Ham came along in the 1950s. Problematizing everything that's different, weird, or uncomfortable won't get us any place worth exclaiming over.' 2. These books should be contextualised and judged with an awareness of the values that prevailed when they were produced
Defenders of the work of Theodore Geisel argue that critics need to judge his work recognising the values that were current when the stories were written and illustrated. They argue that critics need to be aware that books which were written decades and more ago may simply be reflecting elements of the values that were then current and may be doing so without any conscious endorsement. They also argue that we need to find a better way of dealing with texts influenced by problematic past values than simply banning or removing them.
Many academics and others have called for a careful approach when considering the work of Theodore Geisel and stress the need to recognise the impact of the period within which the books were written. Ann Neely, professor of children's literature at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, has stated, 'Just as every author/illustrator is, I think that Theodor Geisel was a product of his time... We should not judge Theodor Geisel by today's standards.' A similar point has been made by Philip Nel, a professor of children's literature at Kansas State University, who has stated, 'Racism lurks in children's culture in ways we're not aware of, and (authors) can recycle images and ideas in their work without being aware of it.'
Supporters of Dr Seuss's work argue that it has been judged insensitively and inappropriately in withdrawing it from publication. David Pemberley, writing for the Adelaide Advertiser, has stated, 'Judged by the standards of 2021 and not the mores of the 1940s, Seuss has now had six of his books cancelled.' Some commentators have argued that a recognition of the influence of the context of the period could remove the need to ban some Seuss books from publication. Theodore Geisel's stepdaughter, Leagrey Dimond, has maintained that what is needed is to publish some of these books with a disclaimer which explains that some of the images or language within them has been influenced by the time when they were written and would not be accepted today.
Some commentators have noted that in recent years, numerous media companies have added disclaimers to address racist or other problematic depictions in their content. For example, Disney's streaming service, added a content warning to several of its animated films, including Dumbo, The Jungle Book, and Lady and the Tramp, warning of 'outdated cultural depictions'. HBO Max briefly pulled the United States Civil War epic 'Gone with the Wind' due to its 'racist depictions' before restoring it to the platform with an added context warning. Regarding how to deal with Seuss's work, while acknowledging the influence of values that are no longer accepted, Author Erik Kain challenges publishers and readers to find a better way than removing the book from circulation. He states, 'Seuss clearly... inked some offensive cartoons, both in his children's books and wartime propaganda. It's the sort of thing that might get someone "cancelled" in a heartbeat today. That should give us pause. If people are more than just racist or just sexist or just [insert bad trait/belief/affiliation here] then maybe there's a better way forward when it comes to how we deal with them that goes beyond "end their careers, get them fired, stomp them out from polite society."'
The same challenge has been posed by Kate Cantrell, a lecturer in writing, editing and publishing at the University of Southern Queensland, and Sharon Bickle, a lecturer in English Literature at the same university. With regard to the problematic aspects of Seuss's work, Cantrell and Bickle write, 'Finding meaningful ways to contextualise these historical aspects for young readers today might be a better focus, rather than withholding a few and letting more prominent titles slide by.' 3. Removing these books takes away an opportunity to discuss the issues they raise
Those who oppose the withdrawal of six Dr Seuss books from publication argue that removing these titles wastes a valuable opportunity to discuss with children the issues raised within them.
Some of those who object to this withdrawal of six of Theodore Geisel's published works are concerned about the attitude this demonstrates toward the past. They argue that removing evidence of past prejudices takes away a valuable opportunity to learn from them. They also argue that to present a sanitised version of former attitudes and beliefs gives children an inaccurate view of reality and ill prepares them to battle against prejudice in the future. Madeline Phelps, a senior attending Arroyo Grande High School, has had a comment on the Dr Seuss controversy published in The Eagle Times, the high school's student newspaper. Phelps has cited Aldous Huxley's view on the importance of acknowledging the shortcomings of the past. She writes, 'The badness should be hunted out, acknowledged, and if possible, avoided in the future.'
Phelps has explained further, 'Whether we like it or not, we must admit to ourselves that, during the various periods of time in which these books were produced, culture was far different and far less sensitive to the feelings of minorities. Racism and stereotyping penetrated all parts of life, and many people engaged in it, some completely oblivious to the harmful effects it produced.' She concludes, 'censoring or eliminating media that represents that past as it was, even if it appears unpleasant today, shields people from reality and leads them to an idealized understanding of the world that simply is not realistic.'
Attitudes such as Phelps' explain why many educationalists and others believe that all Dr Seuss's titles should remain available and, as appropriate to the age of the children presented with them, should serve as an opportunity to make young readers aware of the inaccuracies and harmful nature of racial stereotyping.Kate Cantrell, a lecturer in writing, editing and publishing at the University of Southern Queensland, and Sharon Bickle, a lecturer in English Literature at the same university have stressed that 'Children's books are among those most often banned or censored. In this case, removing the Dr Seuss titles recognises that he was writing in a time and place when racial stereotyping was commonplace and frequently the focus of humour.' Cantrell and Bickle argue, like Phelps, that such evasion of the problem of racism is inappropriate. Instead, they claim, 'These books present an opportunity to build awareness and teach young readers about history and context.'
This view is shared by Joseph Dwyer, a K-12 social studies coordinator in Essex County and a part-time lecturer in history at Rutgers University-Newark. Dwyer has stated, 'As developmentally appropriate, students must be encouraged to confront [Seuss's] record and draw their own conclusions about the full measure of Dr. Seuss and his works. This process also needs to be the responsibility of schools. Guided by educators, students need to see the materials in question for themselves and engage in conversations about the material.' Teachers and parents argue that there are ways in which challenging material, such as the prejudice in some of Dr Seuss's books, can be appropriately explored with children. Carole Soden, a teacher and librarian with over fifty years' experience, has written, 'I think that students (even the very young) can have discussions regarding these problems in historical context. For example, it is well known that Seuss created anti-Japanese war posters. At the time in which he did this, Americans did not know who would win the war, Pearl Harbor had occurred and the general sentiment was very much against the Japanese. What a wonderful opportunity to point out to students how unfair this was, and how it was based on our unsettled and fearful sense, and to ask for possible solutions they might have so this won't ever happen again.'
4. Rather than withdraw whole books, any problematic elements could be removed
Some of those who oppose Dr Seuss's titles being removed from publication argue that it would be preferable to have these stories modified so that any offensive elements were removed.
Those who support modifications to problematic texts rather than their complete removal argue this is the better option because it allows the books to remain in circulation for the enjoyment of their readers. Herald Sun columnist Susie O'Brien has explained, 'I have no problem with tweaks being made to remove overt racism, or for new editions to be issued. But it's sad to think that classics such as "If I Ran the Zoo" and "And to Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street" will no longer be published.' O'Brien has argued further, 'It's true there is a lack of characters of colour in Seuss books, and the 2 percent that exist are largely caricatures. There are things that are out of step with our modern times, such as a depiction of a Chinese man with yellow skin and chopsticks and discussions about keeping a turbaned Arab in the zoo in an exhibit of "unusual beasts". Such things should be changed in future editions; however, the books should not be banned altogether... Let's tweak bits that need to be tweaked and get on with enjoying these wonderful books'
Lindy Jones, former Miles Franklin judge and head buyer for Abbey's Bookshop in Sydney, has made a similar point. She has asked, 'Do the kids notice there are chopsticks [in the illustration in Mulberry Street]? If that's the case can we not just muck around the illustrations and change them?' Those who favour changing some of the Dr Seuss stories note that Geisel himself made some modifications to remove the offensive connotations of some images and phrases. USA Today opinion contributor, Jonathan Zimmerman, has noted, 'Before he died in 1991, Seuss actually altered some of the drawings [in 'And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street'] to make them less objectionable. In the Asian illustration, for example, he removed the figure's pigtail, changed its yellow skin tone, and altered the accompanying text to read "Chinese man" instead of "Chinaman."'
It has also been noted that Seuss altered a line in 'The Lorax' which referred to the pollution in Lake Erie when the authorities behind a later successful effort to clean up the lake notified him. Those arguing that the Seuss stories should have been modified rather than withdrawn have noted that many classic children's stories have remained in print after problematic elements were removed. In an article published in The Guardian on March 10, 2021, Kelly Robinson noted, 'Over the decades, many beloved children's books have been quietly updated to remove racist content: some people will have never read their childhood favourites in their original form, because they were updated long before modern audiences saw them.' Robinson gave as an example, 'The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew series, which debuted in 1927 and 1930 respectively, were originally packed with unflattering portraits of ethnic villains, who were "swarthy", "hook-nosed", or "dark, and rather stupid looking".'
She goes on to explain how these texts were modified to make them acceptable to modern audiences. Robinson gives another example drawn from the work of Roald Dahl. She writes, 'Anyone who read Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory after 1973 knows the Oompa-Loompas as "rosy-white" and hailing from the fictitious Loompaland. Pick up a first edition from 1964 and you'll find that the Oompa-Loompas are pygmies from "the deepest heart of Africa", depicted in illustrations as coal-black people with broad grins. Originally, the Oompa-Loompas were brought to work as slaves by Willy Wonka, who smuggled them to the UK on a ship, packed in cases with air holes. That they are not fanciful creatures from an imaginary land but actual Africans, makes it all the more disturbing when Veruca Salt demands that her father buy her one.'
Robinson argues that making changes to the Seuss stories would be a better option than removing them from publication. She concludes, 'Plenty of authors and publishers have updated their books over the years without fanfare. Seuss himself made changes to his books during his lifetime. Such work can be a factor in why some books stay in print and their authors relevant, while others disappear completely.'
5. People should be able to choose the books they wish to purchase, borrow, and read
Opponents of the decision to remove six Dr Seuss titles from publication argue that is censorship and makes these books difficult to obtain for adults who may want to read them. They also complain that it takes out of the hands of parents and guardians the decision as to what they read to the children in their charge.
Those who oppose these titles no longer being published argue that it has prompted a push to prevent their sale and to retire them from public libraries. Although the immediate effect of their withdrawal from publication was their price rise on Amazon, critics claim that a more concerning consequence has been they are no longer for sale in many retail outlets. Two days after Seuss Enterprises made its announcement, eBay revealed that it was 'sweeping [its] marketplace' to stop the resale of Dr Seuss books taken out of publication.
This decision has met with widespread criticism, even from those who supported the books being withdrawn from publication. Karin Klein, an editorial writer for the Los Angeles Times, has argued, 'It's a different matter to prevent adults who want to collect books from being able to purchase copies of them.' Klein criticises eBay for acting 'as a kind of censor of which books people can decide to collect and place on their shelves, and that's a shame - and downright hypocritical.' Paul MacDonald, a New South Wales children's bookseller, has warned against the move among some booksellers not to offer these books for sale. He has advised against 'hijacking conversations and a blanket dismissal of books from the past, which [he] think[s] is a worrying trend.' Concern has also been expressed that public libraries have begun removing the six Dr Seuss books from their shelves. On March 2, 2021, a spokesperson from Portsmouth Public Libraries (PPS), Virginia, announced that although the six titles are currently in circulation around PPS libraries, officials had begun the process of recalling them throughout the division.
On March 3, 2021, the city public library in Hartford, Connecticut, announced that Hartford Public Library librarians would soon meet to review the books and determine whether they should remain part of the collection. On March 11, 2021, it was reported that Chicago libraries were temporarily pulling the six Dr Seuss books that had been withdrawn from publication from their shelves. The libraries indicated that they would keep the books for reference copies until they could determine a longer-term solution. Critics have condemned this potential removal of texts from libraries as excessive and an unwarranted limitation of readers' freedom to choose the material they wish to read. Peter Coyl, the Director of the Montclair Public Library, New Jersey, has stated, 'We would consider removing them to be a form of censorship...Removing something because you don't agree with its viewpoint or depictions isn't something libraries should do.' Some opponents of these books being removed from library shelves have argued that this is the result of a campaign begun by several academics whose criticisms of Dr Suess have become influential. They complain that these academics' views are being forced on library users who are being denied the capacity to choose for themselves what they read and how they respond. On March 8, 2021, Robby Soave, a senior editor at Reason, wrote, 'Disappearing books from library shelves gets us closer to the classic example of censorship...What's happening to Dr. Seuss is the result of a very specific kind of prioritization...One decided upon not by readers or the public at large, but by activist educators...'
Concern has been expressed that the widespread removal of these books from publication, sale, and public libraries will deny parents an opportunity to share them with their children. Critics have argued that it is important that parents be able to share their favour childhood stories. It is claimed that their enthusiasm for the books will influence their children's enjoyment.
Lindy Jones, former Miles Franklin judge and head buyer for Abbey's Bookshop in Sydney, has argued that parents should remain able to share their favourite books. She has stated, '"I remember ['Mulberry Street'] as one of my favourites as a kid. It's just the idea of the imagination and the things you make up...Parents still want something with simple language to help their children read. They remember with a great deal of delight reading Dr Seuss and they pass that delight on.'