Olentangy Schools official cuts off reading of Dr. Seuss book during NPR podcast

[Behind the Aegis]

The assistant director of communications for Olentangy Local School District abruptly stopped the reading of the Dr. Seuss book "The Sneetches" to a third-grade classroom during an NPR podcast after students asked about race.

Shale Meadows Elementary School third grade teacher Mandy Robek was reading "The Sneetches" to her class as part of NPR’s latest episode of "Planet Money" about the economic lessons in children’s books. During the podcast, which aired Friday, Amanda Beeman, the assistant director of communications for the school district, stopped the reading part way through the book.

NPR reporter Erika Beras spent the day in Robek’s class with Beeman for the podcast. As part of the district stipulations, politics were off limits. Six books were selected ahead of time by Beras and the district — including "The Sneetches."

“I don't know if I feel comfortable with the book being one of the ones featured,” Beeman is heard saying on the podcast during the middle of "The Sneetches" reading. “I just feel like this isn't teaching anything about economics, and this is a little bit more about differences with race and everything like that.”

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[Tetrachloride]

1. I sense an opportunity for a flash mob

a mass reading of the book

[Iris]

2. "and everything like that" - WTH is she even trying to day here?

[unblock]

3. ay - oh - way to go o-hi-o

[SCantiGOP]

4. Hey, they read Sneeches today

It’ll be Das Kapital tomorrow.

[Ziggysmom]

5. Oh give me a freakin break! Screw these repugs!

Because of the GQP, you can't read The Sneetches because a kid might notice discrimination is wrong? This bullshit is just what red state governors and legislators have been accomplishing in our schools.

[ck4829]

6. I think I was 6 or 7 when I first read the Sneetches. I remember thinking the stars were a silly

way to distribute benefits of society and I had an idea they were like the color of one's skin.

"Wow, racism is stupid" - That isn't political?

That's a statement that separates us from some of the worst of the worst.

[KentuckyWoman]

7. Oh it's absolutely wonderful! I never saw this before.

The economic lesson, don't let anyone divide you and keep you so busy hating on each other so they can take all your money.

Good book.