Bush is too shallow but a puppet ain't?
Posted on 02/20/2002 3:25:57 PM PST by captnorb
Wednesday, February 20, 2002
Students protest Bush speaking at commencement GRADUATION: Credentials and politics of first lady criticized; critics want invitation recalled
By Robert Salonga Daily Bruin Staff Despite being 3,000 miles away, Laura Bush fueled debate between administrators and students who objected to the possibility of having the first lady speak at this year's commencement ceremony.
Students in the Graduate School of Education & Information Studies met with Dean Aimee Dorr on Friday to demand that she rescind the invitation to Bush.
Critics cited Bush's "shallow credentials" and complained they were not allowed to participate in the selection of their commencement speaker.
"We're disappointed that the selection for a student event had no student input," said Estela Zarate, a doctoral student in education.
The dean is usually the one who formally invites commencement speakers. In this case, Chancellor Albert Carnesale sent the invitation because it is general practice for the chancellor to do so when the university contacts the heads of state.
Carnesale, who sent off the invitation in early February under the recommendation of the school, said Tuesday that "it is extremely unlikely" he would rescind the invitation.
"She seems to me to be an entirely appropriate speaker," Carnesale said of Bush, a former teacher, librarian and current education advocate.
"Having had a career in education and information studies, she's been dedicated to those areas, as has been demonstrated by her actions," he added.
Dorr said she selected five candidates to speak – of which Bush is ranked first – based on discussions with the school's faculty executive committee, which is comprised of department leaders and two student representatives. The committee serves an advisory function to the dean.
The other four candidates were not disclosed.
"I'm really sorry there is this much agitation," Dorr said Friday, promising to increase student involvement in future selections.
Many students warned Dorr of the political implications of inviting Bush to speak at the commencement.
"She was selected for her political celebrity," said Tara Watford, a doctoral student in education.
"The commencement speaker should speak to us based on achievements in the field," she said. "(Bush) has no merit."
Watford then read a quote in which Bush allegedly admitted to becoming a librarian to expand her dating circle.
Bush's advocacy for early literacy and her efforts to combine education and librarianship make her a suitable candidate to speak at commencement, Dorr said. She also said having Bush speak would help the department become more well known.
"It's a way to have students and the school more visible," Dorr said.
Students don't necessarily have to agree with the political views of the commencement speaker, Dorr said.
"Campus has to be a place where people of different views can speak," she said. "The ceremony involves a lot of people and has to work for a lot of people."
Whenever the university invites a speaker in a political position, some students are bound to disagree, Carnesale said.
"That is not a reason to exclude somebody from speaking," he said.
But, some say, a commencement is not the right forum for Bush to speak, since she will get the last word.
Having Bush speak at the department's commencement would also incur extra costs.
According to John Bollard, director of student services for GSE&IS, preliminary figures he received from the Secret Service indicated an additional $55,000 would need to be spent on top of normal commencement expenses. The extra cost would pay for increased security and a press room.
Though Bush has been invited to speak, it is not definite she will accept.
"We all see it as a long shot," Dorr said.
After the meeting, Zarate said she hopes students in the department will protest the invitation and the appearance should Bush accept.
"We will not stand by and allow her presence to go uncontested," Zarate said.
With reports from Linh Tat, Daily Bruin Senior Staff.
Shallow Credentials! Whats more shallow then today's dropouts. OOps! "College Graduates" OOps! "Future?" Scary thought isn't it.
Basketball great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 1988 presidential candidate Michael Dukakis, civil rights leader Jesse Jackson and other prominent figures from the worlds of academia, science and entertainment are among the speakers addressing nearly 9,500 UCLA graduates during this year's commencement season.
1998
U.S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley, State Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa, film director John Frankenheimer and other notables from the worlds of academia, politics, medicine and science are among the speakers addressing UCLA graduates this commencement season.
2000
State Controller Kathleen Connell; actors Rob Reiner and Paul Reiser; Henry Cisneros, president of Univision; Alfred Berkeley, president of Nasdaq; award-winning author Frank McCourt; and other notables from the worlds of business, academia, politics, medicine and science are among the speakers addressing UCLA graduates this commencement season. Rob Reiner will receive the UCLA Medal, the university's highest honor
2001
Actor Michael J. Fox; Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers; Gary Winnick, founder and chairman of Global Crossing Ltd.; Angela Oh, attorney; Randy Newman, composer and recording artist; and Oscar-award winning actress Eva Marie Saint are among the notables from the worlds of business, academia, politics, medicine and science addressing UCLA graduates this commencement season.
I've never met a "Bruin", graduated or otherwise (UCLA dropouts become the homeless in Peoples Republic of Santa Monica) that had any "depth".
I think Luara would be glad to get out of this commencement commitment.
Students crying about Laura Bush's "shallow credentials" crack me up. Laura Bush has far more credentials to talk about education and the "children" than does Sen. Clinton, who talks about the subject anytime she can.
If the students demand "education" credentials for a commencement speaker, I suggest they enlist Mr. Rogers or Jim Henson's heirs. Their shows are the "educators" of the past 2 decades.
What were Hillary's qualifications? She was married to the governor of a state, then married to the President of the United States. She defended the Black Panthers while at Yale, was a shady lawyer dealing in fast and loose real estate deals that wound up costing the American taxpayers tens of millions of dollars,concieved a thoroughly discredited health care system, and wrote a book about a village which was written by someone else. Other than that, no accomplishments.
Oh, I forgot. Her claim to fame was doing something no one in history has done before or since: turning a $ 1,000.00 investment into a $ 100,000 windfall in the highly speculative cattle futures market. Yeah, that's the ticket.
Herein lies the problem with kids today (No, I am not as old as I sound)......'demand'. No longer do our youth make requests. They demand.
This is the fatal flaw that the 'empowering' '60's brought along with its feel good ideology. Young people were placed on the same level as those who are in a position of authority, and as such did not understand, nor could they accept, their position in the big sceme of things. Respect for and deference to those in authority (or who should be, but are not recognized as such) is of the utmost importance in the evolution of a youth into an adult.
Don't laugh, my alma mater had Mr. Rrogers as a commencement speaker in the eighties! (Hobart and William Smith Colleges)
Meet THIS Bruin and you will find youself in WAY over your "depth".
Bush is too shallow but a puppet ain't?
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