Read Across America

Life is weird, y'all.
It is ever-changing.
Sometimes we don't even realize how things in our childhood were until we look back at them with what we know now through a modern lens--not the rose-colored glasses of nostalgia.
Dr.Seuss is has gone from a wocket in the pocket to a very sticky wicket.

I was born in 1970. I grew up loving all the rhyming and wacky colorful books in the world of Seuss. I became a teacher in the early '90s and my elementary kiddos also loved his books. Dr. Seuss's birthday was a HUGE deal and we celebrated it wearing red and white striped hats and blue wigs and thinking about Mulberry Street.
And yet...

I can also remember loving my Saturday mornings with Fat Albert and his crew. I enjoyed Jell-o commercials. My teen years were spent at the Cosby house via the TV. I still giggle upon hearing "Dad is great, he feeds us chocolate cake." Bill Cosby was everybody's dad, for Pete's sake.
Until he wasn't.

Once we knew he was problematic, we had to move forward differently.
Once you know, you cannot un-know.
Even if we loved them at the time.
Even if they hold sweet childhood memories.

Read Across America week wasn't built for grown folks celebrating old memories.
Ultimately, it is about the kids.
Our kids. All our kids.
In the present moment.
When we know better.
It's time for Seuss to be relegated to history.
Celebrate diversity instead.
Celebrate reading always.

Resources:
NEA Read Across America
The Conscious Kid Instagram
image at top

Comments

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