# County school board in Virginia expands "read across America" day beyond Dr. Seuss, to improve racial diversity (title updated) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 1, 2021, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-school-board-in-virginia-expands-read-across-america-day-beyond-dr-seuss-to-improve-racial-diversity-title-updated/933988 "2021-03-01T00:30:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-school-board-in-virginia-expands-read-across-america-day-beyond-dr-seuss-to-improve-racial-diversity-title-updated/933988/21 "2021-03-01T15:09:34Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I know I’m probably in the minority, but this is exactly the sort of situation where I’d be okay with new editions that changed things. If the only problem is the illustrations, and not the actual text, then altering them somewhat seems valid, as long as the original continue to exist. In many cases all you would have to do is remove one image from a page. In a few others, you might have to eliminate a page or two. It wouldn’t be necessary to throw out entire books. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-school-board-in-virginia-expands-read-across-america-day-beyond-dr-seuss-to-improve-racial-diversity-title-updated/933988/22 "2021-03-01T15:20:04Z")
1. It does not seem like a bad idea to include several authors for a Reading Day of diverse background. 2. I think people and art need to be considered in the light of their times. It would probably be fair to say a very small proportion of Seuss’ characters drew on racial stereotypes or were racist by modern standards. Since their role is incidental, I think it is reasonable they be updated, or have an explanation prompting positive discussion. I do not see reason to throw the baby out with the bath water, though. One might make similar claims about Asterix or Tintin. 3. His political cartoons are surprising but should be seen in light of then current events. Not much there. A pair of Pale Green Pants With Nobody Inside Them. 4. The article is clickbait. Seuss is not above criticism. But there is a reason his work is broadly admired. It’s very creative. Much of it encourages inclusivity and shows arguing about little differences is stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-school-board-in-virginia-expands-read-across-america-day-beyond-dr-seuss-to-improve-racial-diversity-title-updated/933988/23 "2021-03-01T15:23:39Z")
BTW As of 2018, Loudoun County had a [median household income](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Median_household_income) of $136,268.[[6]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudoun_County,_Virginia#cite_note-6) Since 2008, the county has been ranked first in the U.S. in median household income among jurisdictions with a population of 65,000 or more.[[7]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudoun_County,_Virginia#cite_note-acs2011-7) ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-school-board-in-virginia-expands-read-across-america-day-beyond-dr-seuss-to-improve-racial-diversity-title-updated/933988/24 "2021-03-01T15:33:33Z")
So, they can probably afford to expand their reading list beyond Dr. Seuss? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-school-board-in-virginia-expands-read-across-america-day-beyond-dr-seuss-to-improve-racial-diversity-title-updated/933988/25 "2021-03-01T15:50:43Z")
Let’s not forget that Dr. Suess was _very mean_ to Charles Lindbergh. [https://gamespot1.cbsistatic.com/uploads/original/81/814377/3191089-7171344103-C31yI.jpg](https://gamespot1.cbsistatic.com/uploads/original/81/814377/3191089-7171344103-C31yI.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-school-board-in-virginia-expands-read-across-america-day-beyond-dr-seuss-to-improve-racial-diversity-title-updated/933988/26 "2021-03-01T15:56:04Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > - One might make similar claims about Asterix or Tintin. I actually wonder how many works from before the 1960s that depict Blacks or Asians _don’t_ sometimes use racial stereotypes. The Marx Brothers, Disney, Peter Pan. At the time, these were just standard ways of indicating racial identity. They meant the person was exotic, but not necessarily inferior. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-school-board-in-virginia-expands-read-across-america-day-beyond-dr-seuss-to-improve-racial-diversity-title-updated/933988/27 "2021-03-01T16:13:06Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > So, they can probably afford to expand their reading list beyond Dr. Seuss? They could start with Ezra Jack Keats, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-school-board-in-virginia-expands-read-across-america-day-beyond-dr-seuss-to-improve-racial-diversity-title-updated/933988/28 "2021-03-01T16:44:20Z")
You’re saying this as a plus for Dr. Seuss I take it? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-school-board-in-virginia-expands-read-across-america-day-beyond-dr-seuss-to-improve-racial-diversity-title-updated/933988/29 "2021-03-01T16:46:47Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > If we lived in a world without Mo Willems and Ezra Jack Keats and Jacqueline Woodson and Jane Yolen and Jerry Pinkney and Kevin Henkes and so many other marvelous children’s illustrators Minor nitpick. Jacqueline Woodson and Jane Yolen wrote, but did not illustrate, their books. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-school-board-in-virginia-expands-read-across-america-day-beyond-dr-seuss-to-improve-racial-diversity-title-updated/933988/30 "2021-03-01T17:37:55Z")
Yep. Dr. Suess wasn’t very nice to the rest of the America First isolationist crowd either. [![](https://imagesvc.timeincapp.com/v3/fan/image?url=https://culturess.com/files/2017/03/2-fc0d2516687eef5d49b1ee33fc0c04e3.jpg&c=sc&w=750&h=938) ](https://imagesvc.timeincapp.com/v3/fan/image?url=https://culturess.com/files/2017/03/2-fc0d2516687eef5d49b1ee33fc0c04e3.jpg&c=sc&w=750&h=938) ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-school-board-in-virginia-expands-read-across-america-day-beyond-dr-seuss-to-improve-racial-diversity-title-updated/933988/31 "2021-03-01T17:38:26Z")
I have updated the title to more accurately reflect what is described ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-school-board-in-virginia-expands-read-across-america-day-beyond-dr-seuss-to-improve-racial-diversity-title-updated/933988/32 "2021-03-01T17:40:02Z")
Thank you for that. Misleading titles are annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-school-board-in-virginia-expands-read-across-america-day-beyond-dr-seuss-to-improve-racial-diversity-title-updated/933988/33 "2021-03-01T17:42:09Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Let’s not forget that Dr. Suess was _very mean_ to Charles Lindbergh. He was pretty mean to Nazi sympathizers in general. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-school-board-in-virginia-expands-read-across-america-day-beyond-dr-seuss-to-improve-racial-diversity-title-updated/933988/34 "2021-03-01T22:45:01Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > And since this claim is being made by an actual schoolboard, this is likely legitimate research, I laugh uproarously at this. Many, many actual schoolboards are populated by actual morons. ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2021, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-school-board-in-virginia-expands-read-across-america-day-beyond-dr-seuss-to-improve-racial-diversity-title-updated/933988/35 "2021-03-02T03:19:16Z")
If I Ran the Zoo is the only book I’ve ever pulled from the library. I will use it to show students an example of how what is considered acceptable has changed over the decades. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2021, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-school-board-in-virginia-expands-read-across-america-day-beyond-dr-seuss-to-improve-racial-diversity-title-updated/933988/36 "2021-03-02T13:51:57Z")
the estate has agreed to pull 6 books Not any of the famous ones like Grinch or Cat in the Hat [https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/6-dr-seuss-books-will-stop-being-published-due-to-racist-images/ar-BB1e9suu](https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/6-dr-seuss-books-will-stop-being-published-due-to-racist-images/ar-BB1e9suu) ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2021, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-school-board-in-virginia-expands-read-across-america-day-beyond-dr-seuss-to-improve-racial-diversity-title-updated/933988/37 "2021-03-02T15:41:37Z")
The six books would make a good anthology book for those interested in the history of children’s literature and illustration. I have several reprint anthologies of Wil Eisner’s _The Spirit_ comic strip from the 1940s with an extremely stereotyped physical depiction of the hero’s black sidekick, Ebony White. There is nothing racist about the character’s personality or habits, and it would have been a shame to lose those stories to the trash heap of History because of the way that character was drawn. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2021, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-school-board-in-virginia-expands-read-across-america-day-beyond-dr-seuss-to-improve-racial-diversity-title-updated/933988/38 "2021-03-02T23:21:08Z")
I’d be happier if the books were edited, in this specific case, to remove unpleasant stereotypes. But ultimately, the estate will do what it thinks best. I won’t miss the books, but there is a missed opportunity to educate or to donate their profits where they could do some good. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-school-board-in-virginia-expands-read-across-america-day-beyond-dr-seuss-to-improve-racial-diversity-title-updated/933988/39 "2021-03-03T00:39:41Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > I’d be happier if the books were edited, in this specific case, to remove unpleasant stereotypes. This would be my preference, too. NYTimes says that in 1970’s editions of “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street”, _a Chinaman_ was changed to _a Chinese man_. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-school-board-in-virginia-expands-read-across-america-day-beyond-dr-seuss-to-improve-racial-diversity-title-updated/933988/40 "2021-03-03T20:44:38Z")
not a surprise that Dr . Seuss books are now big sellers on Amazon . Probably ebay too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-school-board-in-virginia-expands-read-across-america-day-beyond-dr-seuss-to-improve-racial-diversity-title-updated/933988.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-school-board-in-virginia-expands-read-across-america-day-beyond-dr-seuss-to-improve-racial-diversity-title-updated/933988.md?page=3)