College graduations were radically changed by the coronavirus pandemic, many shelved and others done online, but one thing stayed the same — conservative voices were shut out or barred from commencements.
In its annual survey of commencement speakers shared with Secrets, Young America’s Foundation said that of the top 100 schools holding a virtual ceremony, only one let a conservative elected leader speak while others were dominated by liberal voices.
And in a sign of the campus censorship the Trump administration has faced, top adviser and first daughter Ivanka Trump was invited then dumped from the featured speaking spot at Wichita State University Tech. She put her address online anyway, and said, “Our nation’s campuses should be bastions of free speech. Cancel culture and viewpoint discrimination are antithetical to academia.”
NEW from @YAF: Just as universities roll out the red carpet for leftist guest lecturers, so they invite and welcome leftist figures from media, pop culture, + government to deliver a final lesson to graduates at commencement—even when it’s virtual. https://t.co/xwucsetXL7
— Spencer Brown (@itsSpencerBrown) June 16, 2020
Overall, the 28th annual YAF speaker survey was like most of the others, a display of liberal political, business, and media leaders at the top 100 schools.
“Just as universities roll out the red carpet for leftist guest lecturers, so they invite and welcome leftist figures from media, pop culture, and government to deliver a final lesson to graduates at commencement — even when commencement is virtual,” said YAF spokesman Spencer Brown. “The left maintains their educational echo chamber at the expense of their students’ intellectual strength and the once-noble pursuit of higher learning,” he added.
Our nation’s campuses should be bastions of free speech. Cancel culture and viewpoint discrimination are antithetical to academia.
Listening to one another is important now more than ever!https://t.co/VW6W8TIL9c
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) June 5, 2020
The one exception was Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, which invited Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine to make a virtual speech at his alma mater.
In his address, he said, “The biggest mistakes I have made have been when I did not get enough facts, did not ask enough questions, did not consult the right people, and when I did not dig deep enough. I have also been sorry when I did not follow my instincts — when everyone else seemed to be going a different way, and when I figured, ‘Well, they must be right.’”
Only about a quarter of the schools held virtual ceremonies. Among the speakers were media figures such as Washington Post Executive Editor Marty Baron and NBC anchor Lester Holt.
Politicians included New Jersey Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
YAF said, “Notably lacking from commencement ceremonies this year: any member of the Trump administration or conservative member of the U.S. House or Senate.” By comparison, Obama officials gave 15 commencements in 2015 and 11 in 2016.
The full list from YAF is below.
