Graduating seniors at Bethune-Cookman University in Florida turned their backs to protest Education Secretary Betsy DeVos during her commencement speech today. The students said they organized the protest because of her remarks about historically black schools in February when she said historically black colleges were “pioneers” of educational choice.
The speech was part of an ongoing effort by President Trump and DeVos to reach out to historically black schools. But many students and alumni had objected to having DeVos as speaker in part because they said that outreach is an empty gesture. But the president of the university defended her work as a philanthropist and her commitment to education.
Ahead of the speech, students, alumni and political activists sought to have DeVos’ invitation rescinded, saying they were offended by her earlier comment. DeVos, who is a proponent of school choice – including charter schools and school vouchers – later clarified her remark, noting that historically black colleges were created because other institutions were not open to African-Americans.
About 60,000 signatures on two petitions were delivered to school officials on Tuesday objecting to her appearance at the university.
“Right now is not the time for Secretary DeVos to speak at any historically black college,” said Dominik Whitehead, a Bethune-Cookman alumnus who led one of the petition drives. DeVos’ statement, he said, “just shows she is out of touch.”
About half the 380 graduates turned their backs on her.
Many later sat down, but shouts continued as she spoke loudly, saying that one of the hallmarks of higher education and democracy is the ability to converse with and learn from those with whom they disagree.
