Scholastic Under Fire for Children鈥檚 Book Portrayal of Trump
On November 8, 2016, Americans voted for president. The race was close, but Trump won. Many people were happy. They looked forward to a brand-new government. They hoped for a stronger country.
That鈥檚 an excerpt from a 32-page book called President Donald Trump, published last year by Scholastic, a billion-dollar global corporation whose educational materials can be found in 9 out of 10 U.S. classrooms. The book, by children鈥檚 author Joanne Mattern, is included in Scholastic鈥檚 , aimed at first- and second-graders, kids ages 6 and 7.
It weaves a simple narrative of how Trump made his fortune in real estate, gained fame as host of a reality TV show, and became a president 鈥渕illions of Americans are counting on to improve their lives.鈥
Maybe if it were about any other U.S. president, this might be the end of the story. But Scholastic is being taken to task by a growing army of educators, librarians, and parents not for what the book says about Donald Trump, but for what it omits.
This past weekend, , a nonprofit that builds social justice around education, posted a of the book and invited others to join in sending a message to Scholastic. The social media campaign, , urges the publishing company to pull the book and issue a version that tells the truth about the president.
This isn鈥檛 the first time Teaching for Change has been part of a campaign against the world鈥檚 largest publisher of children鈥檚 books, with titles that include J.K. Rowling鈥檚 Harry Potter series. In 2016, a coalition of groups persuaded Scholastic to of the children鈥檚 picture book A Birthday Cake for George Washington because it promoted a 鈥渉appy slave鈥 stereotype.
So far, #StepUpScholastic has generated about 530 letters of protest to Scholastic from teachers, parents, librarians, and others across the country, said Deborah Menkart, executive director of Teaching for Change.
The organization calls the book, by children鈥檚 author Joanne Mattern, an incomplete story that 鈥渙mits facts, glosses over context, and ignores opposing perspectives.鈥
Its fantastic description of the 2016 election results, for example, ignores the feelings and opinions of the majority of voters, who were left feeling alienated and abused by Trump鈥檚 rhetoric and a presidency that has emboldened White supremacists and triggered protests across the nation.
His buildings reached into the sky.
His businesses just grew and grew.
Then Trump became our president鈥
People wanted something new.
The book doesn鈥檛 even hint at the human toll of some of Trump鈥檚 business deals, Teaching for Change points out, lauding the majesty of his buildings but omitting any reference to government scrutiny over that took place there.
It does not mention his denigration of immigrants, women, Muslims, or political leaders鈥攁nyone, for that matter鈥攚ho disagree with him.
鈥淥ur concern with the text is not the accuracy of the statements and events included, but rather with the extensive omissions that undermine a truthful, nuanced, and informative account,鈥 Teaching for Change said in its online review.
鈥淭hese partial truths construct a false narrative. Scrubbing away any trace of complexity or nuance from an account about an elected official stunts the quintessential democratic freedom and responsibility of questioning and critiquing those in positions of power. We find this book to be dangerous from a democratic standpoint.鈥
this one in its True Book series for grades 3鈥5, does acknowledge the strong feelings surrounding his candidacy and presidency. It includes a page on 鈥淐ampaign Statements鈥:
鈥淭rump made several statements during his campaign that were concerning to some people.鈥
In an interview with , Mattern said that for a young audience, the mandate is to provide unbiased facts with a dusting of the context required to maintain accuracy. The author of about 250 children鈥檚 titles, Mattern has written more balanced pieces about Trump for other children鈥檚 book publishers.
Scholastic鈥檚 nonfiction editor Joana Costa Knufinke responded in the same Times piece, 鈥淲e make an effort to show both points of view.鈥
But the educators behind the #StepUpScholastic campaign believe an important view is definitely missing, one that would show a 6-year-old the side of President Trump that chooses to divide Americans among the deserving and not, along cultural and racial lines. One that shows Trump鈥檚 lying and name-calling and bullying in ways valuable for young children to understand.
鈥淧resenting uncomplicated glory stories of public leaders鈥攚hether they be about Nelson Mandela, Susan B. Anthony, or Donald Trump鈥攄oes a disservice to children鈥檚 understanding of leadership and social change,鈥 TFC wrote.
鈥淣ot acknowledging the failings or limits of leaders teaches young readers that those with power are without flaws and capable of creating change on their own.鈥
Here鈥檚 what parents, librarians, teachers, and other educators are saying on social media about President Donald Trump:
So, I run the Book Fair at my nine year old’s school. I will not continue to do so if this the type of book that stands behind.
Scholastic Tells Children: Trump is Great
鈥 ?Kelly J. Baker? (@kelly_j_baker)
Please join in calling out this propaganda being presented as “literature” to our school children via a FOR PROFIT corporation –
鈥 LeslieMac (@LeslieMac)
Books are so important but not books like this one. Read the review, as a parent & teacher lets demand better. Show our discontent by withholding our $$$.
鈥 Bonnie Dani (@Adalinc3)
As publishers, we have to know where our work fits into (or works against) the status quo. In this world, if our children’s books aren’t anti-bias, they act as propaganda.
This is what Scholastic is normalizing through their Rookie Biography series.
鈥 Phil Stamper ??锔忊? (@stampepk)
Lornet Turnbull
is the former civil liberties editor for 猫咪社区!, a Seattle-based freelance writer, and a regional freelance writer for The Washington Post. An award-winning enterprise reporter who's worked in media for more than 20 years, Lornet has covered everything from the auto industry and labor unions in Michigan, to real estate and statehouse politics in Ohio, to homelessness in Seattle, to refugee children in the West Bank, and sex workers in Mexico City. She speaks English.
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