High-ranking federal officials have spoken on historically Black college and university (HBCU) campuses for decades. At least 20 U.S. Presidents have given commencement addresses at HBCUs. Dozens of cabinet secretaries and ranking military officers have done the same.
None, it seems, has stirred more pre-appearance drama than the commencement address expected Wednesday at Bethune-Cookman University by controversial U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.
She is the first ranking federal official to address an HBCU audience at such an anxious period in American history when many HBCUs are in a fragile financial state and few education leaders know what President Trump’s position is on the role of HBCUs in the nation’s future.
DeVos, a political conservative with no past experience in higher education, has become a lightning rod for opponents of President Trump, for a variety of reasons. Being a strong backer of Trump last year in his bid for the presidency is among a list of points DeVos’ critics throw at her.
DeVos also is an advocate of `charter schools. Her gaffe earlier this year in one of her initial statements as secretary in which she hailed HBCUs as “pioneers of school choice” reinforced fears she knew little about the institutions. HBCUs were founded when most were opened to educate Blacks legally barred from attending most institutions of higher education because of their race.
In the days leading up to her scheduled appearance, DeVos’ acceptance of the university president’s invitation to appear at the private Florida institution, has been vehemently opposed by some university alumni, faculty, students and others who admire the institution’s rich history.
The Florida State Conference of branches of the NAACP have called on the university’s president, Dr. Edison Jackson, and board chairman, Dr. Joe Petrock, to resign in advance of DeVos’ appearance. Opponents promised to deliver petitions signed by thousands of people protesting DeVos’ appearance.
