Betsy DeVos went to Bethune-Cookman University on Wednesday, knowing her first commencement address as secretary of education could get ugly at the historically black institute of higher education.

It did — fast. Over sporadic heckling, and at some points to the backs of gown-clad graduates refusing to face her, Ms. DeVos implored: “One of the hallmarks of higher education, and of democracy, is the ability to converse with and learn from those with whom we disagree. And while we will undoubtedly disagree at times, I hope we can do so respectfully. Let’s choose to hear each other out.”

The crowd obliged only a handful of times during her roughly 20-minute-speech.

Since squeaking through Senate confirmation on the tiebreaking vote of Vice President Mike Pence, Ms. DeVos has appeared at times to carry the weight of every Trump administration controversy on her shoulders. She was turned away by a handful of protesters at her first school visit as secretary. She was goaded into an Ohio public school visit by an antagonist, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten.

And in the days before her address at Bethune-Cookman, in Daytona Beach, Fla., opponents made it clear with petitions and protests that she would not be all that welcome.