Hundreds of graduating seniors at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona, Florida made headlines Wednesday (May 10) when they booed and even turned their backs in protest of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, who attempted to give her commencement speech.
“Let’s choose to hear each other out,” DeVos said over the crowd. “We can choose to listen, be respectful and continue to learn from each other’s experience.” However despite her plea, most students continued with their protest. Bethune-Cookman President Edison Jackson intervened and even threatened the crowd stating degrees will be mailed if the behavior continues.
“Choose which way you want to go,” he said.
Graduating students turn their back on Betsy Devos when she started her commencement speech, Jackson had to intervene. pic.twitter.com/zwe82gjHgA
— Saul Saenz (@saulsaenznews13) May 10, 2017
Despite Jackson’s remarks, students still protested and DeVos stuck to her prepared speech. While administrators may not have approved of the protest, the Internet was in full support of the 2017 graduating class at Bethune-Cookman University.
*Betsy Devos attempts to give commencement speech*
Bethune Cookman’s graduating class: pic.twitter.com/M4zZuV9Lf4
— Matthew A. Cherry (@MatthewACherry) May 10, 2017
Proud af of the #BethuneCookman students exercising their RIGHT to protest Betsy DeVos.
Stop teaching kids to fall in line with bullshit.
— Jas Waters (@JasFly) May 10, 2017
So Betsy DeVos tried to give a speech at an HBCU and she got booed to the depths of hell #lol
Me: pic.twitter.com/BMsNPzkw4Q— Tariq Nasheed (@tariqnasheed) May 10, 2017
Today’s real MVPs are the students of the 2017 graduating class of Bethune-Cookman. For telling Betsy DeVos “Nah.”
— Awesomely Luvvie (@Luvvie) May 10, 2017
When I see Betsy DeVos being heckled at an HBCU: pic.twitter.com/cz8zI7pp92
— Morgan Jerkins (@MorganJerkins) May 10, 2017