Caroline Glenn

FLORIDA TODAY

DAYTONA BEACH — Education Secretary Betsy DeVos struggled to deliver her commencement speech at Bethune-Cookman University on Wednesday, as the crowd drowned out her words with catcalls and roaring boos.

Her remarks on the importance of education were overpowered by calls from the audience to "shut the [expletive] up" and "not a Wildcat," the historically black school's mascot.

Jeers from the audience persisted from the moment of her introduction through her 20-minute speech and when she accepted an honorary degree. Representatives from the NAACP, national teachers unions and other organizations protested outside the Ocean Center, where the ceremony was held.

"Let’s choose to hear one another out,” DeVos tried to say above the crowd chatter. “I am here to demonstrate in the most direct way possible that I and the administration are fully committed to your success and to the success of every student across this great country.”

At one point, B-CU President Edison Jackson interrupted DeVos to warn students, "If this behavior continues, we can mail the degrees to you."

The decision to have DeVos, a Michigan billionaire, GOP mega-donor and part-time resident of Indian River County, address the 300 students graduating this spring was announced by the White House Sunday, and has fallen under a barrage of scrutiny. The NAACP has since called for the resignation of the B-CU president and chairman of the board.

Opponents pointed to DeVos' past comments about historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) as the "real pioneers when it comes to school choice" and President Donald Trump's suggestions that federal funding for HBCUs is unconstitutional.

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Critics slammed DeVos' statement, arguing HBCUs were the only choice for black people.

Clifford Porter, assistant vice president for institutional advancement at B-CU, said while the university is "very aware of the misstatement," he hoped Wednesday's event would be an opportunity to educate DeVos about HBCUs. Going forward, he said the university will try to do a better job of incorporating students in the speaker selection process.

Before the ceremony, President Jackson asked reporters, "Can you imagine how many institutions would love to have the highest education officer in all the land be their commencement speaker?"

Online petitions had collected signatures from about 60,000 people who disagree.

Still, President Jackson defended the decision at a press conference preceding the event.

After an hour delay, during which journalists could not leave the building to speak with students or protesters, Jackson spoke briefly.

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"We have always been in the business of making friends, and if you don't have friends, it's very difficult to raise money," Jackson said during the conference. "Her department controls roughly 80 percent of Title IV monies, as well as grants. So why wouldn't we want to make friends?"

Students, family and friends thought the venue for the conversation was inappropriate.

"We had to remind ourselves that it was about us graduates," said Macy Fields, a 21-year-old who earned her degree in gerontology. She said, "We thought it was a lie" when students heard DeVos would be their commencement speaker.

Protesters from The Dream Defenders, a Florida youth organization working to better the lives of black communities, said DeVos will actually make it harder for B-CU graduates to pay back their student loans, after she halted an Obama-era program to help students manage federal college loans.

"Betsy DeVos should not be speaking at an HBCU. Betsy DeVos should not be the speaker at any educational institution," Rachel Gilmer, co-director of Dream Defenders, said in reference to DeVos' favoritism for non-traditional public schools.

Students and alumni have also taken issue with the university's perceived comparison of DeVos to their school's founder, Mary McLeod Bethune, an educator, humanitarian and civil rights activist.

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"We couldn't disagree more," said Gilmer.

Protesters said the move polarized what should have been a day focused on graduating students.

"This was not supposed to be a political event," said Keon Williams, a 2008 B-CU alumnus. "They made this about politics."

Grads seemed in high spirits after the ceremony, though, performing dances, chanting songs and snapping photos outside the Ocean Center.

DeVos issued an upbeat statement following the event.

"I have respect for all those who attended, including those who demonstrated their disagreement with me," she said. "While we may share differing points of view, my visit and dialogue with students leaves me encouraged and committed to supporting HBCUs."

President Trump met with leaders from America's HBCUs at the Oval Office in February when he signed an executive order to move assistance for these institutions from Department of Education to the White House. Those in attendance described a bizarre meeting — the same one where Kellyanne Conway was pictured kneeling on a couch — with "very little listening to HBCU presidents."

That's where, school officials said, the conversation started to bring DeVos to B-CU's graduation.

"Some of you may not like it, but she's here, we're welcoming her and we're building new relationships," said Jackson.

Caroline Glenn is the Education Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact her at caglenn@floridatoday.com or 321-576-5933, and follow her on Twitter @bycarolineglenn and like "Education at Florida Today" on Facebook.