When I first read the headline declaring that Bethune Cookman University, a historical black university, invited the Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to be its commencement speaker, I thought it was a joke. There was no way I could conceive an HBCU actually inviting DeVos, a woman who referred to HBCUs as an example of school choice, completely ignoring the history of racism and segregation that led to them. (read more here) I thought for certain that the article was using irony to point to DeVos’ great ignorance or disregard of the history of race in public education. Much to my horror, I discovered that this was not a satirical headline, but in fact the truth.
To the chagrin of many, today DeVos will speak to a sea of students who she cannot relate to, at an institution whose history she does not understand, and to a crowd that does not want to hear her.[1] Bethune’s decision to have DeVos serve as its commencement speaker is baffling to say the least. Not only has she shown great incompetence in the field of education in general,[2] but the reforms she advocates undermine public education in this country.
DeVos is a strong proponent of vouchers and school choice (translated as school exclusion). These programs remove money from the public school system and place the funds in private educational institution. This is often done without holding private schools to the same level of accountability, if any, as public schools. While some students may benefit from vouches and school choice, many black and brown students, particularly lower-income students, do not. Essentially, vouchers function as a Trojan horse that I believe will only further segregate our schools based on race and socio-economic status. Ultimately, school choice is a step in the direction of undermining public education in order to ration it out more restrictively.
When I taught at Bethune, my observation was that it is an institution catering to the class of students left behind by vouchers and school choice programs advocated by DeVos. What DeVos represents is completely antithetical to the very purpose and mission of Bethune. Therefore, the assertion from Bethune’s president Edison Jackson’s that founder Mary McLeod Bethune would have approved of DeVos is absurd. While it is true, that Ms. Bethune worked across political lines to achieve educational goals, she did so with wisdom and without compromise of her beliefs. Having DeVos speak is a compromise I do not believe Ms. Bethune would have made.
Also, while President Jackson is correct that universities should be a sight where students engage in different ideas that challenge them, this is not a university’s sole objective. Schools must also balance the need for open dialogue against the potential of providing an unfettered platform to someone who will espouse ideologies that are harmful or dangerous to the students they serve. After all, this is a commencement speech not an actual dialogue between the secretary and students. She will be speaking at them, not with them. One wonders if such a format is actual conducive to the intellectual exchange President Jackson claims he is seeking.
In reality, I do not believe having DeVos serve as the commencement speaker has anything to do with an exchange of ideas. Rather, President Jackson is attempting to curry favor with this administration. Such pandering is evident when I read President Jackson’s comments like, “Perhaps DeVos, much like those early initial skeptics who came to our college, will be inspired by the profound work that occurs here with our students.” For all his talk about not wanting to be political, his choice to have DeVos, even in the face of vehement opposition, is nothing but a political decision.
Sadly, President Jackson has made a poor calculation that will likely backfire. Pandering to oppressive powers is never a viable solution. It will not help the masses, and will eventually betray those who employ it. Admittedly, I am not certain what Bethune or its president is seeking to achieve, but I hope that they change course soon. If not, then I am afraid it will be in for a rude awakening when its ploy does not pan out.
In the meantime, I wish all the recent graduates a big Congratulations!
–Until Next Time–
Palooke
homeschooling
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