President Trump's Secretary Of Education Betsy DeVos To Speak At B-CU Graduation

Posted

Daytona Beach, FL - News broke recently that Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos would deliver the spring commencement address at Bethune-Cookman University, and it didn't take long for disgruntled students and alumni to respond.

Within 24 hours, one petition got over 2,500 signatures to stop the commencement address.

“I am encouraged and hopeful by the showing of support we’ve gotten in only one day, that the university will act and listen to the students, alumni, supporters of the institution, and the greater HBCU community,” said Dominik Whitehead, a B-CU Alumnus and organizer of the petition. “I am confident that the momentum will continue to grow in our favor, and I genuinely hope that Dr. Jackson and university officials will hear our call and rescind the invitation.”

Part of the controversy stems from comments DeVos recently made, describing Historically Black Colleges and Universities, like B-CU, as "pioneers" of "school choice." The term "school choice" refers to charter schools, vouchers, and other alternatives to public schools. But when HBCUs were founded, black students didn't have any other choices because they weren't allowed to attend white schools.

Following backlash over those controversial comments, DeVos tried to clarify what she meant and acknowledged that HBCUs weren't created to give African-American students more choices, they were created because black students across the country weren't allowed to attend segregated white schools.

DeVos is expected to speak at B-CU's graduation ceremony on May 10.

Copyright Southern Stone Communications 2017.