WHS BC Library Remote Learning: Should Dr. Seuss be banned?

Should Read Across America Day be 'disassociated' with Dr Seuss?

Do you like thing 1and thing 2? I do, I also like green eggs and ham. Well as you might know these famous expressions and characters were created by the famous children's author Dr Seuss otherwise known as Theodor Seuss Geisel. Dr Seuss had a doctorate in English literature, he was not a medical doctor, which is why he is called Dr Seuss. In any case some scholars and critics have looked at his work and found it 'discriminatory'. For example in the book: And to think that I saw it on Mulberry Street, contains images of a Chinese person who is depicted with 'small' eyes and is eating with chopsticks as well as wearing more or less 'traditional' Chinese clothing. See the image below:

This issue is important and sensitive to me, due to the fact that my wife is Asian, from Asia, and my child is in general Asian looking, although he is in fact, bi-racial. Furthermore I use chopsticks due to the fact that I eat Asian food, primarily noodles, on a daily basis. From my perspective the picture above is not racist since it simply calls attention to the clothing, appearance and food habits of Chinese people. The man is smiling and looks happy, he is not an evil enemy or anti-hero. In addition my wife and son also think the picture is funny, but not racist. I can however, understand why some Asian people might feel offended by the picture. But actually Dr Seuss depicted white people and all people in a cartoon, humorous fashion, not just Asians or other groups of people. But that is my own perspective.

To other observers however, this image and others demonstrate racism because they reinforce stereotypes of Chinese people and Asians in general. On the other hand Dr Seuss wrote books that were critical of racism and discrimination, for example The Sneeches. See the following articles to learn more:

What do you think? Should Dr Seuss be canceled or read?