Students at Bethune-Cookman University plan to deliver a petition today to school leaders against the visit of Betsy DeVos, the U.S. education secretary, CNN reports.
The school located in Daytona Beach announced DeVos would be the speaker for it's 2017 spring commencement ceremony last week and has received backlash from students and alumni.
Related: BCU president urges students to be open-minded regarding DeVos
The petition asks the school to uninvite the U.S. education secretary Betsy DeVos as BCU's 2017 spring commencement speaker.
The actions a Florida historically black college is promising to take if students protest the commencement speaker at 7:55am.
— Phil Amato (@PhilAmatoANjax) May 9, 2017
The NAACP Florida Conference has also become involved in the situation, calling for the resignation of the university's president and chairman of the board after students have claimed the school would fine or or withhold degrees if they protest DeVos.
Related: Florida NAACP asks for officials' resignations after DeVos asked to speak at commencement
CNN says that the university has not commented on the civil rights group's request.
Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos will serve as keynote Speaker at Bethune-Cookman University.
— Bethune-Cookman (@bethunecookman) May 1, 2017
Share this!... https://t.co/KlNtteqcOZ
A Message From The President:
— Bethune-Cookman (@bethunecookman) May 1, 2017
President Edison O. Jackson addresses the B-CU community.
Read the full... https://t.co/EXfHeKAzb0
Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos will serve as keynote speaker at B-CU's Commencement. Read here: https://t.co/BlICJ1qB2z #BCUForward pic.twitter.com/6qjMmywsQi
— Bethune-Cookman (@bethunecookman) May 1, 2017
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