Betsy DeVos Booed During Commencement Speech, Grads Turn Backs

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos was jeered by graduates during her commencement speech Wednesday at Bethune-Cookman University, a historically black college.

About half the 380 students graduating in the ceremony stood and turned their backs to DeVos, and others heckled her loudly as she spoke, CNN reported.

The jeers and heckling went on through the duration of her 20-minute speech, including DeVos' introduction by University President Edison Jackson and acceptance of an honorary degree, Florida Today reported.

DeVos said during her speech that it's important to listen and learn from those with opposing viewpoints, and that she was “at the table fighting on your behalf. ... Let’s choose to hear one another out.”

Jackson had to interrupt DeVos' speech to warn the graduates to calm down. “If this behavior continues, we can mail the degrees to you,” he said, Florida Today reported. One person was escorted out of the arena during the ceremony.

Twitter mostly applauded the students for their actions and wondered whose idea the speech was in the first place.

🤔 so who at Bethune Cookman thought it was a good idea to have Betsy DeVos do the commencement speech?

— Jason (@so_five_oh_four) May 10, 2017

DEVOS IS GIVING THE COMMENCEMENT SPEECH AT A HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

But really, to the graduates: I'm so sorry.

— Jillian Jagmin (@jillyjagmin) May 10, 2017

WOW! Liberal Indoctrination at it again- Betsy Devos attempts to give a commencement speech to a group of obnoxious college kids.👇 pic.twitter.com/lAStsZtSVM

— Corryn Mobley🇺🇸 (@Corrynmb) May 10, 2017

@red_velvet_ari @elham80 @tweetheart2017 @saulsaenznews13 Snowflakes. They get their knickers twisted about everything from Star Wars to coffee cups.

— Charlotte Marks (@Vladdiefan) May 10, 2017

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