Yesterday was graduation day at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach. The predominantly black and Methodist affiliated school was the dream of Mary McLeod Bethune, the daughter of slaves, who knew that education was the key to improving the lot of those who needed a hand up, rather than a hand out on the road of life. And while she would be undoubtedly proud of the school that she founded which has grown from its meager beginnings, I doubt that she would have been pleased by the behavior of many attending their own graduation.
I am personally very familiar with the school, having living in the Daytona Beach area for two years in the 90s. My work required me to interface with school management personnel routinely, and I found them and the majority of the students to be gracious and polite, excepting the small groups of agitated ones who rioted the day that OJ Simpson was found not guilty. But it didn't last long and the Administration got a handle on things real fast; they knew the school's reputation was on the line.
But yesterday's uproar was more profound and what was the lightning rod for it? Well, Betsy deVos, the Secretary of Education, was invited by President Edison Jackson to address the graduates. Dr. Jackson, a very enlightened educator, knows that in order to understand one another and open avenues where all people can work together, engagement is required. We must be open and honest and face real problems head on, not hide under a veil of political correctness where one group is always right and others are always wrong. And whether you like her or not, deVos has opened an invitation to schools and organizations which might disagree with her views in order to start such a dialogue. It is something that the Trump Administration has initiated despite the threats it has in some cases generated. It's a far cry from the example of former Attorney General Eric Holder saying we were a nation of cowards and must be honest with each other while then proceeding to lecture America with his bias.
From the moment her remarks began, large numbers of soon-to-be graduates turned their backs and began booing loudly. deVos continued with her remarks, which were warm and encouraging, while the crowd embarrassed itself until Dr. Jackson gave them the option: either listen politely and respectfully or leave and diplomas will be mailed. Most of the crowd did gradually simmer down and others who wanted to listen began tweeting their side as well. Not a very good beginning for young men and women seeking work in the corporate world where decent behavior is expected at all times.
But this should surprise no one, with the common them of the Left today being one approaching anarchy and the press egging them on, for such behavior catches on in a society which has lost its way. And until good people speak up and demand a different way of doing business and the media starts facing reality, it likely won't change. But the losers will be those who fall for it, like these college graduates who, if they interview for jobs in a fashion similar to their behavior yesterday, they'll be looking at an empty mailbox for a long, long time.
I am personally very familiar with the school, having living in the Daytona Beach area for two years in the 90s. My work required me to interface with school management personnel routinely, and I found them and the majority of the students to be gracious and polite, excepting the small groups of agitated ones who rioted the day that OJ Simpson was found not guilty. But it didn't last long and the Administration got a handle on things real fast; they knew the school's reputation was on the line.
But yesterday's uproar was more profound and what was the lightning rod for it? Well, Betsy deVos, the Secretary of Education, was invited by President Edison Jackson to address the graduates. Dr. Jackson, a very enlightened educator, knows that in order to understand one another and open avenues where all people can work together, engagement is required. We must be open and honest and face real problems head on, not hide under a veil of political correctness where one group is always right and others are always wrong. And whether you like her or not, deVos has opened an invitation to schools and organizations which might disagree with her views in order to start such a dialogue. It is something that the Trump Administration has initiated despite the threats it has in some cases generated. It's a far cry from the example of former Attorney General Eric Holder saying we were a nation of cowards and must be honest with each other while then proceeding to lecture America with his bias.
From the moment her remarks began, large numbers of soon-to-be graduates turned their backs and began booing loudly. deVos continued with her remarks, which were warm and encouraging, while the crowd embarrassed itself until Dr. Jackson gave them the option: either listen politely and respectfully or leave and diplomas will be mailed. Most of the crowd did gradually simmer down and others who wanted to listen began tweeting their side as well. Not a very good beginning for young men and women seeking work in the corporate world where decent behavior is expected at all times.
But this should surprise no one, with the common them of the Left today being one approaching anarchy and the press egging them on, for such behavior catches on in a society which has lost its way. And until good people speak up and demand a different way of doing business and the media starts facing reality, it likely won't change. But the losers will be those who fall for it, like these college graduates who, if they interview for jobs in a fashion similar to their behavior yesterday, they'll be looking at an empty mailbox for a long, long time.
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