{"id":140242,"date":"2017-12-19T02:27:11","date_gmt":"2017-12-19T07:27:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/?p=140242"},"modified":"2017-12-19T02:27:11","modified_gmt":"2017-12-19T07:27:11","slug":"devos-gives-commencement-speech-amid-protests-in-baltimore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2017\/12\/19\/devos-gives-commencement-speech-amid-protests-in-baltimore\/","title":{"rendered":"DeVos gives commencement speech amid protests in Baltimore"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Education<\/a>
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos implored students not to \u201cjoin in the chorus of conflict,\u201d even as dozens turned their backs in protest of her commencement appearance at the University of Baltimore’s graduation ceremony. (Photo<\/a>: Betsy DeVos\/Facebook<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

BALTIMORE \u2014 Greeted by a mix of applause and boos, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos implored students not to \u201cjoin in the chorus of conflict,\u201d even as dozens turned their backs in protest of her commencement appearance at the University of Baltimore’s graduation ceremony.<\/p>\n

Some students and faculty criticized the decision to honour DeVos at the public university. Graduate student Kerrin Smith, 26, said DeVos and President Donald Trump have overseen a \u201cstrangling of public education.\u201d<\/p>\n

DeVos, who has spent decades promoting the use of vouchers and other methods to redirect public money into private schools, shared a few anecdotes about the graduates, including a couple of first-generation college students.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are a source of inspiration. You are the reason we are working to rethink how our country approaches education,\u201d DeVos said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe must stop suggesting there is only one, conventional path to success. In fact, there are many avenues to gain what individual students need or want: industry-recognized certificates, stackable credits, credentials and licensures, badges, micro-degrees, apprenticeships, two-year degrees, four-year degrees, advanced degrees . all of these are valid pursuits,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

William Pierre, who earned a bachelor of science degree on Monday, was one of two graduates who stood and raised a fist in silent protest. He said students were \u201cvery puzzled\u201d by the September decision by University of Baltimore President Kurt Schmoke, a former city mayor, to honour DeVos as speaker.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has a right to make that decision. And we have a right to protest that decision, and we exercised that right,\u201d Pierre said as he waited with fellow students to pick up his diploma.<\/p>\n

Next to him, graduate Linda McKinley decided not to stand and protest, but said the appearance by DeVos \u201cdefinitely put a damper\u201d on her graduation. She is among the critics who said that DeVos shouldn’t have been invited since they see her as hostile to public education and indifferent to civil rights.<\/p>\n

Schmoke had sent a letter to the student body explaining why he believes she was a good choice.<\/p>\n

Those who turned their back on DeVos \u2014 graduating students and a handful of their relatives \u2014 are mostly African-American.<\/p>\n

The closest DeVos came to acknowledging the criticism was a call to listen with humility, rather than \u201cjoin in the chorus of conflict,\u201d and then thoughtfully engage with those who disagree about \u201cthe real problems our country faces.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBe considerate and careful in the exchange of ideas,\u201d she said. \u201cSometimes exchange requires raising your voice above the noise, but more often, it requires embracing the power of silence.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before the ceremony, several dozen demonstrators protested across the street, among them faculty, LGBT activists, and a few students. Some carried signs with slogans such as \u201cdemocracy needs public schools.\u201d<\/p>\n

Associate Professor Debbie Kohl, who was one of the few protesting faculty members who agreed to give their name to a reporter, said many of her colleagues believe DeVos \u201crepresents policies and standpoints that are antithetical to the job we do here for our students.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

BALTIMORE \u2014 Greeted by a mix of applause and boos, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos implored students not to \u201cjoin in …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":140251,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24157,16],"tags":[9975,39594,39593,471,4673],"class_list":["post-140242","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-american-news","category-news","tag-baltimore","tag-commencement-speech","tag-education-secretary-betsy-devos","tag-protests","tag-students","mauthors-david-mcfadden","mauthors-the-associated-press"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/140242","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/33"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=140242"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/140242\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/140251"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=140242"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=140242"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=140242"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}