A spokeswoman for First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, Ed.D., posted a statement Saturday afternoon on (accurate) reports that religious themed Easter Eggs were banned under rules for a White House contest for children of National Guard soldiers, saying the reports are “misleading.”
Elizabeth Alexander, who holds the lengthy job title of White House Deputy Assistant to the President and Communications Director for the First Lady, posted, “*Fyi on all the misleading swirl re White House and Easter: the American Egg Board flyer’s standard non-discrimination language requesting artwork has been used for the last 45 years, across all Dem & Republican Admins—for all WH Easter Egg Rolls —incl previous Administration’s.”
*Fyi on all the misleading swirl re White House and Easter: the American Egg Board flyer’s standard non-discrimination language requesting artwork has been used for the last 45 years, across all Dem & Republican Admins—for all WH Easter Egg Rolls —incl previous Administration’s.
— Elizabeth Alexander (@EAlexander46) March 30, 2024
Alexander’s statement is itself misleading, conflating the decades long tradition of the corporate trade group American Egg Board presenting a decorated Easter Egg to the First Lady with the recent children’s Easter Egg contest initiated by Jill Biden in 2021. The rules for the children’s egg contest were chosen by the Biden White House. That they track with the rules for the American Egg Board is the choice of Jill and Joe Biden. Regardless, the rules for the American Egg Board White House Easter Eggs are dictated by the administration.
Deputy White House Press Secretary Andrew Bates chimed in reiterating the White House spin, “Fact check. The only “news” outlet in U.S. history to pay almost $1 billion for lying to their viewers/readers has egg on their faces again. This story is about nonpartisan guidelines that have been in operation for ***45 years***. Including during the last administration.”
Fact check.
The only "news" outlet in U.S. history to pay almost $1 billion for lying to their viewers/readers has egg on their faces again.
This story is about nonpartisan guidelines that have been in operation for ***45 years***.
Including during the last administration. https://t.co/wN1l4CKgTA
— Andrew Bates (@AndrewJBates46) March 30, 2024
A check of previous reports on military children participating in the annual White House Easter Egg Roll do not show any mention of an Easter Egg decorating contest (2009 report and 2016 report).
The flyer for the 2024 children’s contest states it was created in 2021 by the Biden White House. The flyer also states the winning egg designs will be displayed during the religions seasons of Easter and Passover.
As part of the White House Easter traditions, America’s Egg Farmers
– for nearly 50 years – have proudly presented an intricately decorated
Commemorative Easter Egg to the First Lady of the United States. In 2021,
the White House expanded on this longstanding tradition by displaying
youth-designed Easter eggs in the White House East Colonnade.BE PART OF TRADITION: 2024 CALL FOR YOUTH ART
On behalf of First Lady Jill Biden, The Adjutants General of the
National Guard are asking youth from National Guard families across
the United States and all U.S. territories to submit artwork inspired by
the theme ‘Celebrating our Military Families’Children should depict on an egg template (see Art Submission form)
a snapshot of their life – a favorite activity, scenery in your state, your
military family, a day-in-your life, etc.
Selected designs representing the unique experience and stories
of National Guard children will be brought to life on real hen eggs by
talented egg artists from across the country and displayed at the White
House this Easter and Passover season(SKIP)
Restrictions:
The Submission must not contain material that violates or infringes any rights of any other party, including but not
limited to copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity or any other intellectual property rights;
• The Submission must not in any way disparage Sponsor or any other person or party;
• The Submission must not contain material that is inappropriate, indecent, obscene hateful, tortious,
defamatory, slanderous or libelous;
• The Submission must not contain material that promotes bigotry, racism, hatred or harm against any
group or individual or promotes discrimination based on race, gender, religion, nationality, disability, sexual
orientation or age;
• The Submission must not contain material that is unlawful, in violation of or contrary to the laws or
regulations of the United States or of any jurisdiction where Submission is created.
• The Submission must not promote illegal drugs or firearms (or the use of any of the foregoing), or any
activities that may appear unsafe or dangerous;
• The Submission must not include any questionable content, religious symbols, overtly religious themes, or
partisan political statements; and
• The Submission must be consistent with the image and values of Sponsor and be consistent with and
satisfy the purpose of the submission.
A WayBackMachine archive of the 2023 rules from the site of the IncredibleEgg.org show the same rules were in force for a contest sponsored by the American Egg Board that would see the child winners’ designs featured in the White House Colonnade. The 2023 contest was open to all legal U.S. residents with who submitted designs by children between the ages of 5 and 18 years old.
“United States of Possibility” Colonnade of Eggs Exhibit to Feature Kid-Designed Eggs
In the spirit of Dr. Biden’s commitment to education, the White House East Colonnade will be transformed into the “United States of Possibility” Colonnade of Eggs exhibit, featuring hand-painted and decorated eggs representing all 50 U.S. states and six territories. In a show of state pride and national unity, children submitted creative egg designs under the theme of “United States of Possibility” that highlight why they love their home state/territory and its contributions to the future of the country, from their state’s natural resources to technological inventions to cultural developments.
The CEO of the American Egg Board told Fox News on Saturday the rules come down from the federal government, specifically the Department of Agriculture (excerpt):
American Egg Board President and CEO Emily Metz represents America’s egg farmers. She told Fox News Digital after publication of this article that for the past 47 years they’ve partnered with the White House. Metz stated, “I think it’s important to know that everything we do from a marketing and promotion standpoint, because we are a check off, we have very strict guidelines under the USDA.”
She added, “We all have to follow kind of guidelines, which essentially, number one, we can’t discriminate against any other commodity…. We can’t go out there and say, ‘hey, pork is awful and we only should only get eggs.’ We have to be very, clear about that. We also can promote one type of egg over the other type of egg. So we have to be, excuse the pun, egg-nostic. And we also, most importantly, can’t discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, sexual identity, any of that.”
Metz insisted, “So when we say, can’t be overtly religious, we just can’t be seen to be promoting one religion over the other, the same way we can’t be seen to be promoting one political viewpoint or ideology over the other. We have to be totally neutral in everything we do and have it just be focused on egg promotion and marketing activities. And this is obviously a huge opportunity for us to showcase the incredible eggs in a really fun and unique way.”
The American Egg Board released a promotional photos of the First Lady’s Commemorative Egg Collection and a sample of 2023 children’s contest winners by state (artists bring the winning entries to life):
Year-by-year photos of the First Lady’s eggs can be seen at this link. The photos go back to the first egg presented in 1977 to Rosalynn Carter.
