Texas Southern University cancels Cornyn speech in response to student petition

Controversial commencement speakers Cancellation of U.S. Sen. John Cornyn's speech comes amid a growing national debate about free speech on college campuses, following increasingly frequent student protests and several high-profile cancellations, mostly directed at conservative speakers. See more commencement speakers who have recently caused controversy ...

less Controversial commencement speakers Cancellation of U.S. Sen. John Cornyn's speech comes amid a growing national debate about free speech on college campuses, following increasingly frequent student protests ... more Photo: AL DRAGO, NYT Photo: AL DRAGO, NYT Image 1 of / 20 Caption Close Texas Southern University cancels Cornyn speech in response to student petition 1 / 20 Back to Gallery

Concerns about an ugly student confrontation prompted Texas Southern University in Houston to cancel a scheduled commencement address Saturday by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, the second-ranking Republican in the Senate.

The decision at the historically black college comes amid a student petition demanding that Cornyn be blocked from speaking and urging that all graduating students and their families "express their discontent" if he does.

By Friday, 863 people had signed the petition on change.org, an online activist petition network.

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The school's decision comes amid a growing national debate about free speech on college campuses, following increasingly frequent student protests and several high-profile cancellations, mostly directed at conservative speakers.

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos was booed at a commencement address this week at Bethune-Cookman University, a black college in Daytona Beach, Florida. It also comes weeks after protests led a student group at the University of California at Berkeley to pull the plug on a speech by conservative commentator Ann Coulter. That decision followed clashes over President Donald Trump, and the cancellation of an appearance by right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopouloswas amid destructive student disturbances.

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DeVos, amid heckling, boos, and gown-clad graduates turning their backs, could be seen on news footage Wednesday appealing for respectful dissent. "Let's choose to hear each other out," she said.

Cornyn aides said the decision to cancel his appearance was the school's, not his. "Sen. Cornyn was honored to be invited to address TSU's graduates, but he respects the administration's decision and looks forward to continuing to engage with the University in the future," said a Cornyn spokesman.

Texas Southern released a statement saying that the decision was made for the sake of the students and their families: "Every consideration is made to ensure that our student's graduation day is a celebratory occasion and one they will remember positively for years to come. We asked Senator Cornyn to instead visit with our students again at a future date in order to keep the focus on graduates and their families."

The Change.org petition was sponsored by 26-year-old Rebecca Trevino, 2017 graduate in social work from San Antonio. In an interview Friday, she said she had no desire to censor Cornyn, but rather to represent the values of the school.

"What I want people to realize is that this is our commencement," Trevino said. "This is something we've worked hard for and we want someone who represents us and our values."

She posted the petition online a week ago, after hearing about Cornyn's invitation. "This is an issue that's important to me and my classmates," she added. "We have a lot of pride in our school, and we're very protective of who comes by."

In an online appeal for signatures, she said that "Cornyn and his political party create and support policies that cause harm to marginalized communities." She also cited Cornyn's votes to approve DeVos, Jeff Sessions as Attorney General, and his support for voter ID law.

The student petition also cites is opposition to federal funding for "sanctuary cities" and his past support for a constitutional ban of same-sex marriage.

Word spread among students on social media on Thursday night before the school's official announcement Friday, said sophomore Kernard Jones, who is studying political science.

When students realized that the speech's cancellation was fact, not rumor, there was a sense of "jubilation," he said.

He said the petition took off because many students saw Cornyn's speech as hypocritical, as they did not see the senator as invested in TSU or any historically black university.

"(Cornyn) really doesn't have a connection with Texas Southern University," Jones said. "I'm pretty sure if we were to shut down tomorrow, then he wouldn't put up that much of a fight to keep us open. And that's what really makes us as students really turn our backs on him."

Marcus Smith, a graduating senior and the student newspaper's editor, said he wasn't surprised that the university made a change based on the concerns of student activists.

Last year, a Take Back TSU campaign on social media led to safety improvements around campus.

"When the students rally together and use their voice, a lot gets done and a lot can happen," he said. "I knew it was only a matter of time before it would be changed."

Texas Southern, founded in 1927 as the Houston Colored Junior College, is considered one of the nation's leading historically black colleges, with nearly 10,000 students. About three-fourths of the students are African American, with the rest a mix of other races, including Hispanics, whites and international students.

Among its most famous graduates was the late congresswoman Barbara Jordan, who chose Texas Southern after racial segregation prevented her from attending the University of Texas at Austin.

Cornyn's first visit to TSU's campus was in February 2016. Then, he toured TSU's aviation and engineering program, its pharmacy simulation lab and the Thurgood Marshall School of Law, where he met with faculty and students.

"This is my first time here, but it is long overdue," he said, according to a university publication from the time.

Cornyn's invitation to commencement was reportedly extended in part because of his help in securing federal funding for historically black colleges.

In February, Cornyn praised Trump for signing an executive order to prioritize federal support for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs): "For generations these institutions have provided Texas students with high quality education and a great sense of community and history," he said. "The President's commitment today is significant, and I hope even more Texans will be afforded the chance to become a part of these storied institutions across our state."

Trevino said she understood that, and that there was no intention to disrupt his speech or create an ugly scene. "In no way would we do anything violent," she said. "That's the farthest from what we are." The protesters' plan, she said, was to stand up silently and face away when Cornyn spoke. "No shouts, no boos. Just a silent and peaceful form of protest," she said.

U.S. Reps. Sheila Jackson Lee and Al Green will give the commencement address.