TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Parents on Thursday protested outside the Keelung City Government over its decision to block the distribution of picture books funded by Keelung City Council Speaker Tung Tzu-wei (童子瑋) to elementary school students.

Cheng Kung Elementary School Parent-Teacher Association Honorary President He Ling (何玲) said Tung has long shown care for the school since being elected as a city councilor, per Liberty Times. She said he has distributed gifts to students every Christmas and that parents were surprised by the city government’s refusal to allow his picture books to be handed out.

He stressed that Tung has not been nominated as the DPP’s candidate for the Keelung mayoral election. She also questioned a joint statement issued by the Keelung City Union of Parent-Teacher Associations, noting that one of its signatories, Chang Jo-wei (張若葳), serves as a city government secretary.

The city government said Chang signed the joint statement in her capacity as a former union president, not as a city government employee.

The joint statement, signed by union President Chen Chuan-lin (陳傳麟), former president Huang Chung-hsien (黃忠賢), and Chang, defended the city government’s decision, per China Times. Chen said the books contain images of Tung, his signature, and his vision for Keelung, raising concerns that distribution could undermine schools’ role as politically neutral learning environments.

The DPP Keelung branch accused the city government of violating administrative neutrality, citing Mayor Hsieh Kuo-liang’s (謝國樑) use of city funds to print brochures during a recall campaign against him, per CNA. It also accused the city government of applying a double standard, pointing to letters sent to parents in August after Hsieh announced plans to seek re-election in November 2024.

Meanwhile, the KMT Keelung branch said Tung’s books risk exposing elementary school students to political figures. It argued that compelling children to engage with the images and messaging of specific politicians could cause lasting harm to the learning environment and students’ values.

The Keelung City Government said it rejected the distribution of the books based on administrative neutrality concerns and the possibility that Tung could become the DPP’s mayoral candidate, per CNA. Tung said he was surprised by the decision, adding that the books do not contain political content.

Tung said he would recall all copies to avoid placing pressure on city government employees and instead distribute the books through community centers and civic groups, per UDN. In a radio interview on Tuesday, Tung said that while friends and aides have urged him not to run for mayor in 2026, he believes Keelung cannot afford to wait another four years, per Liberty Times.