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Melania shuts down school librarian who turned down her gift of books
First lady responded to an elementary school librarian who turned away her gifts of books after calling them "cliched" and racist. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Melania shuts down school librarian who turned down her gift of books

First lady Melania Trump released a statement through her communications director in response to a grade school librarian who spurned her gift of free books for the school children.

Why did the librarian turn down the gift?

In a long screed published earlier this week, elementary school librarian Liz Phipps Soeiro sneered at the gift from the first lady, offering a few reasons in explanation. She called the Dr. Seuss books "cliched" and used the occasion to criticize Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.

She continued on to deride the first lady for sending books some consider racist and enforcing “systemic racism and oppression.”

How did the first lady respond?

"Mrs. Trump intends to use her platform as First Lady to help as many children as she can. She has demonstrated this in both actions and words since her husband took office, and sending books to schools across the country is but one example," read the statement from the first lady's communications director.

"Turning the gesture of sending young school children books into something divisive is unfortunate," it concluded, "but the First Lady remains committed to her efforts on behalf of children everywhere."

Why was the first lady giving books to the school?

For "National Read a Book Day" in September, the first lady chose one school in each state to receive a gift of books written by celebrated author Dr. Seuss.

Why does this matter?

It doesn't, really. But it is an example of how unreasonable the hatred toward the president and the first lady can be, even when the first lady is simply attempting to make a generous gesture to schoolchildren. It is another sign of how irrationally divided the country is among political lines.

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