BCU Graduates Turn Their Backs on Betsy DeVos During Commencement Speech

Graduating students at Bethune-Cookman University stood and turned their backs towards US Education Secretary Betsy DeVos during her speech at their commencement ceremony on May 10.As members of the audience continued to boo the education secretary during her speech, the president of the university, Dr. Edison Jackson, interjected. “If this behavior continues, your degrees will be mailed to you,” he told them. Seconds after Jackson issued the warning, a person was removed from the auditorium by security guards. As soon as DeVos continued her speech, another wave of boos and jeers drowned her out.The decision to invite DeVos to speak and to receive an honorary degree from the historically black university sparked outrage in light of her comments hailing HBCUs as ‘pioneers of school choice,’ when many argued black students were forced to “choose” between segregated education or none.