Graduates at Florida university turn backs in protest of DeVos speech

[DonViejo]

Source: Reuters



Wed May 10, 2017 | 3:10pm EDT

By Bernie Woodall

Graduating seniors at Bethune-Cookman University in Florida turned their backs in protest of U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos at the start of her commencement speech on Wednesday at the historically black institution.

Boos and jeers could be heard as DeVos, who drew ire in February when she said historically black colleges were "pioneers" of educational choice, was introduced. Faculty and school administrators on stage stood and applauded. Live video of the ceremony in Daytona Beach showed many graduates facing away from DeVos, though it was not clear how many of the approximately 300 seniors participated in the silent protest.

"One of the hallmarks of higher education and of democracy is the ability to converse with and learn from those with whom we disagree," DeVos told the graduates.

The university's president, Edison Jackson, interrupted her speech with a warning to students. "If this behavior continues, your degrees will be mailed to you," he said. "Choose which way you want to go."

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-education-devos-idUSKBN18625L

[Initech]

1. Keep up the good work! Resist!!!!

[old guy]

2. So they mail them. So what?

A diploma is a diploma. Weak threat that.

[Eyeball_Kid]

4. BFD. I completed two graduate programs and didn't attend either commencement.

I still completed the programs, still have my credentials.

[DinahMoeHum]

5. At least they won't have to shake hands with DeVos or Manigault. . .

. . .and get cooties in the process.

[OrwellwasRight]

3. Video at this tweet

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">1 retweet = 10 boos<br>1 favorite = 1 boo <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BackstoBetsy?src=hash">#BackstoBetsy</a> <a href="https://t.co/E0BrLNLnzh">pic.twitter.com/E0BrLNLnzh</a></p>— People For Bernie (@People4Bernie) <a href="

Link to tweet

">May 10, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[Blue Idaho]

6. Cudos to the students

And the faculty that taught them to speak their minds when confronted with uncomfortable truths. The Colleges Administration and Betsy Blackwater DeVos can go fuck themselves.

[llmart]

9. Love this!

DeVos and her whole f***ing family need to slink away. Those of us who live in Michigan know all about the Scamway family.

No one deserves those boos and back turnings more than she does. She is NOT a friend of education.

I am proud of those students - very proud! The country doesn't need any more sheep.

[LuckyLib]

7. Why would an HBCU invite this "know nothing" to give a commencement address?

All of the talented folks out there, famous or otherwise, and she is what they come up with?

[not fooled]

10. And if the university's administrators

thought that by inviting DeVoid they would curry favor with the dump admin/RW forces to their benefit, they are too stupid to be administrators at an institution of higher learning.

The RW wants to get rid of higher education except for the elite.

How dumb can you get?

Good for the protesting students.

[geretogo]

8. Having to live under the Authoritarian rule of the Koch's and a handful of Oligarchs doesn't sound

like choice to me .