Dolly Parton’s plan to give children free books is attacked as ‘white saviorism’

Frank Furedi, professor emeritus at Kent University, described the paper as “academic verbal diarrhea” that was directed against “normal families and parenting practices” and the values ​​that are essential to the socialization of children.

Chris McGovern, chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, said: “This attack on Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is disgraceful, unreasonable and despicable. A form of intellectual insanity underlies this attack on Parton’s laudable enterprise.”

Parton founded the library in 1995 and distributed the first books to children in Sevier County, in poor rural Tennessee, where she grew up. The singer has invested millions in the Imagination Library and said, “When I’m remembered in 100 years, I hope it won’t be for my looks, but for my books.”

The programme was expanded to the UK in 2008, benefiting thousands of children in areas such as London, Lincolnshire, Wakefield, Manchester, Rotherham and Bradford.

Parton’s inspiration for the program was her father, Robert Lee Parton Sr., who never went to school or learned to read. He played a key role in the organization until his death in 2000.

The Imagination Library has been awarded the “Good Housekeeping” seal of approval and the “Best Practices Award” from the US Library of Congress Literacy Awards.