In less than a week, the nation will observe Read Across America Day. The March 2 date coincides with the birthday of Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss.

Geisel died in 1991. As one of the world’s most noted authors of children’s book, he is remembered for his nonsense words, playful rhymes and strange creatures, one of the most famous in “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!”

But even Dr. Seuss was not immune from the political correctness world. Some of his books have been criticized because of their allegedly racist themes and offensive imagery. This led to a decision by his publisher to no longer publish six titles.

The National Education Association is the prime sponsor of Read Across America Day, which is billed as an annual reading motivation and awareness program that brings together kids, teens and books. This year’s theme has certainly generated controversy among content critics - “Celebrating a Nation of Diverse Readers.”

The NEA says that the purpose of Read Across America Day, which began in 1998, is a way to encourage children and teens to read by exposing them to reading resources that are “about everyone, for everyone.”

In encouraging participation in this event, the NEA laid out a series of “facts that will blow your mind.”

• Reading just 20 minutes a day adds up to reading 1.8 million words a year.

• Children learn 4,000-12,000 words every year by reading.

• Classroom libraries create curiosity. Kids in classrooms without mini-libraries read 50% less than kids with this educational tool.

I was truly blessed. For my entire life, my mother’s prophetic words have rung in my ears – “Reading will unlock the door to the world.” A mother’s love is a priceless gift, but when it comes packaged with a commitment to reading and learning, it is truly precious.

Despite the NEA’s attempt to foster reading and learning, there are numerous efforts underway to challenge what students read. Much of it revolves around how racial and lifestyle issues are perceived, discussed, interpreted and presented.

Last year, there were two high-profile attempts to ban books in Pennsylvania schools - one in Central York and the other in Pennridge School District in Bucks County. The Central York ban was overturned after massive protests from students and the community; the Pennridge ban revolved around a gay character, and that, too, was ultimately reversed.

The Oklahoma Legislature is considering a bill that would require schools to remove any book having to do with sex, the penalty being firing and fines for offenders. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott wants schools investigated for providing obscene materials to minors. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster has ordered his superintendent of education to review and remove sexually explicit materials from schools and to explain how they got there.

Challenges to what is in school libraries don’t just involve sex but anything deemed inappropriate; it also frequently targets books on racism and gender.

It seems to me that politicians who are calling for removal of these physical books from libraries are woefully behind the times. Most kids get their reading material online, and as is so often the case when children are told they can’t have something, they will want it all the more.

When I was a college student in 1961, I vividly remember the furor that arose over Henry Miller’s controversial novel “Tropic of Cancer.” In 1938, the U.S. government banned the book, deciding that it was way too explicit in recounting the author’s sexual adventures and his challenges of conventional society norms about sex. To make its point, the government banned all of Miller’s novels until 1961.

Of course, as a young college student, once the ban was lifted, I was curious to find out what all the fuss was about, so I bought a used copy of “Tropic of Cancer” from an out-of-the-way bookstore. (I have to admit that by 1960 standards, it was really racy. Today, it would probably be rated R or maybe even PG-13. My point is that if all of the publicity the controversy generated had not existed, I, along with millions of others, probably would have never read “Tropic of Cancer.” Similar controversy surrounded another banned book of that era, “Lady Chatterley’s Lover,” which became obtainable in 1960 after publisher Penguin Books won a sensational court case.

In the fall, Banned Books Week (Sept. 18-24) will take on even greater significance than it usually does as the political rhetoric surrounding this issue ramps up in advance of the 2022 midterm elections in November.

By Bruce Frassinelli | tneditor@tnonline.com

The foregoing opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board or Times News LLC.