Morehouse College’s president stated that the school’s graduation exercises would be shut down if there were interruptions during President Biden’s speech.
CNN reports that David A. Thomas, the institution’s leader, would halt the ceremony rather than allow students to be forcibly removed with zip ties.
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Morehouse’s President Explains Why He Will Shut Down Graduation
As previously reported by The Shade Room, it was announced that Biden was invited to speak at the historically Black college in April.
Thomas’ statements follow the recent reports of law enforcement officials arresting pro-Palestine protestors on college campuses. He told the media outlet that he wanted everyone who attended to “enjoy” the ceremony. Additionally, he shared that he would stop any “disruptive behavior that prevents the ceremony or services from proceeding” in a peaceful way. Furthermore, he said he would not tolerate “prolonged shouting” during Biden’s commencement speech.
Thomas said Morehouse prohibits the students from using “hate speech” and demanding “calls for violence against another group or individual.” He stated that he has “made a decision that we will also not ask police to take individuals out of commencement in zip ties.”
“If faced with the choice, I will cease the ceremonies on the spot if we were to reach that position,” he continued. “I would rather be the first president to have a failed commencement than to say you are less important than the ceremonies of this institution.”
What Is Morehouse’s President’s Motivation?
Thomas says he is confident that the institution “can hold the tensions.” He stated that he considered how the college wanted to present itself.
“I thought about it from the vantage point of how should Morehouse show up as as an institution. And we should never put the ego of the institution above our values. And one of our values is to see the humanity in all,” Thomas shared.
Biden will receive an honorary degree during his visit. Morehouse’s faculty members voted on the decision. They believe Joe’s decades of dedication to public service “merits an honorary degree” from the HBCU.
The president hopes graduation will flow seamlessly.
We’ll keep you posted on what goes down.
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