America deserves better than Betsy Devos. So does Bethune-Cookman.https://t.co/spis56gr5h #StopDeVosAtBethuneCookmanUniversity pic.twitter.com/nHEmI7RypY
— Greg Spradlin (@spradlig) May 1, 2017
Will Antifa make an appearance?
Via M Live:
U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos will give the keynote speech at historically black university Bethune-Cookman University’s spring 2017 commencement ceremony.
The commencement is scheduled for 12 p.m. Wednesday, May 10, and comes a few months after DeVos was widely criticized for connecting historically black colleges and universities, or HBCUs, to the school choice movement.
The school, located in Daytona Beach, Fla., was founded by Mary McLeod Bethune, a prominent educator and civil rights leader.
In a press release, school president Edison O. Jackson said DeVos is similar to school founder Mary McLeod Bethune in that she knows the importance of opportunity and has a similar mission to empower parents and students.
“The legacy of Dr. Bethune is that she was not constrained by political ideology, but worked across all parties to support B-CU,” he said.
“Since its founding, Bethune-Cookman University has served as a flagship institution of higher learning and as a great example of the terrific education HBCUs have historically and continue to provide to students,” DeVos said in a statement. “I look forward to meeting with students and addressing the graduating class as they embark on the next exciting chapter of their lives.”
DeVos’ scheduled appearance is already generating criticism and has even inspired a change.org petition to stop her from giving the speech, which has about 4,500 signatures as of Tuesday afternoon.
“Having DeVos speak at the commencement ceremony is an insult to the BCU graduating class, students, alumni, family, friends, and Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune’s legacy,” the petition reads. “We, the proud alumni of Bethune-Cookman University, do not want Betsy DeVos to have a seat at our table. Please rescind her invitation to speak at the graduation ceremony.”
According to the Tampa Bay Times, the Florida chapter of the NAACP called the scheduled speech a “slap in the face to minorities, women and all communities of color.”