The Devolution of an Activist: Team Success President, Michael Marsh Files Book Challenge Against Green Eggs and Ham with School District.
Marsh ends stunt with administration by withdrawing challenge amid backlash.
In the School District of Indian River County (SDIRC), young elementary students would not celebrate reading with a breakfast of Green Eggs and Ham during the “National Read Across America” festivities. On the afternoon of Wednesday, February 28, the president of Team Success Enterprises, Michael Marsh, filed a formal book challenge with the SDIRC against Dr. Seuss’s legendary classic. It is tradition to kick off National Reading Awareness Month with “Dr. Seuss Day” celebrated on March 2nd, his birthday, or the first school day after the weekend on which the annual date may fall.
In a statement released by SDIRC, Director of Communications, Cristen Maddux said, “Recently, the District was in receipt of a formal challenge to the book Green Eggs and Ham. At this time, we are following the procedures outlined in Policy 2522, and are in the process of scheduling a meeting with the Petitioner.”
It looks like that meeting will not take place. In an email signed, “Sincerely, Activist Marsh,” he determined he “could let this go” after putting SDIRC through his “traumatic book challenge.” The withdrawal of his challenge seems odd considering that back in August at the school board meeting, Mr. Marsh vocally challenged Green Eggs and Ham on the grounds of Critical Race Theory (CRT). “I’m offended, CRT!” he exclaimed.
In Mr. Marsh’s challenge application, which was obtained by a public records request, he wrote “n/a (non-applicable)” for questions about the “portion he objected to” and specific sections of the book. Also, Mr. Marsh answered a harsh “No” to the question “Did you examine the material in its entirety?”
Last Thursday, The Sunshine Journal reached out for comment from the leadership board of Team Success Enterprises which includes Mr. Marsh, the resident president, and the organization’s board attorney on the journey, Susan Chesnutt who are both featured in the non-profit’s promotional video. As of yet, nobody has responded. The Sunshine Journal also asked school board members individual questions regarding Mr. Marsh’s challenge of Green Eggs and Ham. Jacqueline Rosario remarked, “His challenge of Green Eggs and Ham is a frivolous challenge of a professional activist.”
In mid-February, Governor DeSantis spoke in support of a bill to curb with rejections for “bad faith objections” like Mr. Marsh filed with SDIRC. Ms. Rosario added, “He stated his reasoning for challenging this material is because of ‘green eggs.’ I don’t know if Mr. Marsh has ever eaten green eggs. Maybe he has and this is the reason for his objection. I don’t know and I don’t care. What I do care about, is wasting our time on objections that have zero merit. There is absolutely no policy or statutory basis for objecting to this book; for this reason, this could be considered an abuse of the process.”
However, Mr. Marsh didn’t come into this role as an activist who hollers wasting tax dollars through undisciplined reactions at school board inactions, or, who files public records requests sometimes using other citizen’s names, or, frivolous book challenges and further nefarious claims. He once attempted to get a 75 year-old Cuban grandmother not even 5 feet in height arrested claiming she assaulted him on school property one twilight. He wasn’t always this petty.
According to the promotional video found at Team Success’s website, what made Mr. Marsh an activist, was the horrific murder by a crooked cop of his childhood friend, Cory Jones, a 31 year-old innocent black man. Jones was unjustifiably shot to death in 2015 by a reckless Palm Beach County police officer, Nouman Raja on the shoulder of an Interstate 95 off-ramp. Raja never introduced himself as police to Jones when he jumped out of an unmarked van with his gun aimed at him. Jones was sitting in his broken-down vehicle. Later in the encounter, he presumptively shot a defenseless Jones after Jones became fearful, left his phone on his seat — the call with roadside assistance was still open — and ran from his car. Raja yelled, “Stop,” and discharged his weapon as Jones was running away from him. After neutralizing Jones, Raja shot him again.
The following day, speaking to the investigators, Raja made up an alibi about how events unfolded. How did investigators discover his lie? Raja was caught by the operator’s recording of the incident through Jones’ phone. At trial, Raja was found guilty of manslaughter and murder in the first degree. Raja lost his appeal and was denied a Supreme Court hearing. He is serving 25 years.
During the trial, Mr. Marsh ran the organized Facebook campaign, Justice for Cory Jones, which joined community members together for peaceful street protests. As rightfully angry and emotional as some were, the Jones family demanded no violence. After the verdict in 2019, Mr. Marsh leerily relieved, told the Palm Beach Post, “I don’t think many of us were convinced this would be the outcome.”
In 2022, the Jones’ family was awarded $2 million in their civil suit against Palm Beach Gardens police, the maximum reward. While no amount can bring back Cory Jones, criminal justice was not denied. Mr. Marsh, the activist, had helped a family and community achieve legal closure. His advocacy was resolute because Justice and Truth were with him.
It is obvious on the Team Success promotional video, the unmerciful death of his friend rattled Mr. Marsh to his core. His voice shaken by the recounting of that time in his life, Mr. Marsh speaks of how he used the energy of his passionate activism to launch Team Success Enterprises with the mission “to address, educate, coordinate, and provide relief to alleviate human suffering, eradicate homelessness and hunger, and to contribute to safer communities on a local, state, and national level.”
The mission statement is broad but very admirable. However, outside of the non-profit he co-founded, where Mr. Marsh advocates for issues in the political realm, he has lost the principled view of what motivated him toward service. As a result, his advocacy finds issue where there is none. Furthermore, it has become a litany of insults toward anyone who disagrees with him.
It was in 2018 that Mr. Marsh once campaigned for board member, Jackie Rosario. He now refers to the only minority on the board as “The Yak” on his social media pages. These days, the one time self-announced “Gifford’s Mayor Marsh” (he doesn’t live there) vehemently attacks Ms. Rosario with regularity. During the 2022 campaign season, Mr. Marsh thoroughly insulted Ms. Rosario at the January school board meeting. Under the decorum policy of the school board, Mr. Marsh should have been removed from the venue. However, the school board chair, Mrs. Barenborg did nothing but warn Mr. Marsh who was speaking about the policy he was violating at present. In protest, Ms. Rosario walked out before Mr. Marsh continued his comments. The superintendent even weighed in to redirect Mr. Marsh from antagonism.
These days, Mr. Marsh signs up for every opportunity to speak, even when he has nothing to say about the subject matter. It’s his right. He doesn’t make the effort anymore to even live stream his comments through his phone. He would prop his phone against the podium microphone stand to record himself. Like his challenge of Green Eggs and Ham, there isn’t a yoke of sensibility holding him to real activism.
Indeed, like many wokesters in the political world jesting to find meaning, Mr. Marsh has glommed onto the latest progressive political movement to censor all Dr. Seuss books beginning September 2017, when First Lady Melania Trump donated the author’s books for a “National Read-a-Book Day.” According to the report by WPTV referenced in Mr. Marsh’s Facebook post, a Massachusetts elementary school librarian of contrarian hues to Trump’s education views chastised the First Lady for providing books by “the tired and worn ambassador of children’s literature” whose artwork is “steeped in racist propaganda, caricatures and harmful stereotypes.”
Theodore Seuss Geisel’s widow, Audrey ran Dr. Seuss Enterprises until she passed in 2018. She never stopped publishing all of her husband’s legendary classics. After her death, the joyous company became a foundation and was turned over to managers because the Geisels did not have heirs. In 2021-2022, the needling Mr. Marsh brought back the preposterous protest when the new feckless foreman of Dr. Seuss Enterprises decided not to publish six Seuss titles. In a statement on Dr. Seuss’ birthday, the priggish pilots of progressive corporatism at Dr. Seuss Enterprises gonged, “The books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong.”
Following the latest appeal of WOKE, Mr. Marsh proposed LeVar Burton Day in the SDIRC. But nothing came of it, despite the yelling and spelling lacking compelling reason dwelling in Truth. Fast forward to 2024, Mr. Marsh has tried again. Realizing failure, Mr. Marsh withdrew his latest challenge to Dr. Seuss. Yet, is it possible that Dr. Seuss may encourage the activist still, while standing against his conjecture so shrill?
From Melania Trump’s favorite Dr. Seuss book and the last one he wrote before his death, Dr. Seuss advises, “You’re on your own, and you know what you know. And you are the guy who’ll decide where to go.”
For Mr. Marsh, may that be a return to his work of heartfelt inspiration.
Seuss, Dr. Oh, the Places You'll Go! New York :Random House, 1990.
Please don't mix me up with Michael Marsh. I am not the one that challenged Dr. Seuss.
Another great piece! Thank you!