Betsy DeVos had the unmitigated gall to actually show up and give the commencement speech at HBCU Bethune-Cookman University today. Needless to say, it didn't end well for the new Secretary of Education. Catch the tea inside....
After weeks of threats and criticism from students and the rest of the world, Bethune-Cookman went through with having Betsy DeVos -- who is part of the same Administration who threatened to defund HBCU's and treated HBCU Presidents like props during a "White House Meeting" -- as their commencement speaker.
As she spoke, the graduates and audience were NOT having it. Loud boo's and insults filled the Florida university's graduation venue, and it was all caught on video.
Here's an up close look at the loud boo's once DeVos started her speech. When she said she would visit the grave site of the iconic founder Mary McCleod Bethune, things got worse:
Students boo, turn backs on Betsy DeVos during commencement at historically black university https://t.co/mYlJB85fWNpic.twitter.com/bH4GynvZGP
— TIME (@TIME) May 10, 2017
Betsy DeVos says she's going to visit Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune's grave site.
Bethune Cookman's students were *not* pleased. pic.twitter.com/pARTNDv2s5
— Philip Lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) May 10, 2017
That's not all. Graduates also stood up and turned their backs to DeVos as she spoke:
BREAKING VIDEO: Here's what happened inside commencement speech of Betsy DeVos pic.twitter.com/yUiUFp4dUI
— TheAnonMessage (@TheAnonnMessage) May 10, 2017
Their protests were met with a scolding from the school's President, Dr. Edison Jackson:
Interestingly, student leadership did meet with Secretary DeVos ahead of the ceremony:
Student leadership @bethunecookman head to meet with @BetsyDeVos for a roundtable discussion ahead of commencement #BCUForwardpic.twitter.com/2hO0P4ewzV
— Bethune-Cookman (@bethunecookman) May 10, 2017
The school's Twitter timeline, which was live tweeting the graduation, conveniently never addressed the protest.
Folks around social media chimed in saying:
Those Bethune-Cookman students don't owe Betsy Devos SHIT. She represents an administration that threatened to stop funding to HBCU's
— Nakai (@100milliman) May 10, 2017
The question is, why would you sully Mary McLeod Bethune’s name by inviting Betsy DeVos to speak at Bethune-Cookman?
— Alvin aqua Blanco (@Aqua174) May 10, 2017
Bottom line is Bethune Cookman students booing Betsy DeVos is very best sign they earned their diploma.
— ChuckModi (@ChuckModi1) May 10, 2017
The graduates of Bethune Cookman have stood, turned their backs and are now booing Betsy DeVos. That's the #HBCU Protest Spirit!
— Kevin L. Peterman (@Peterman67) May 10, 2017
And there's always the GOP rebuttal:
Betsy DeVos gets booed by black students. Unbelievable idiocy. She's pushing for school CHOICE that will help BLACK students the most! pic.twitter.com/4TZCQ1hVqM
— Tennessee (@TEN_GOP) May 10, 2017
Sigh.
Thoughts?
Photos: Twitter