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Students protest Bush speaking at commencement
DAILY BRUIN ONLINE ^ | Wednesday, February 20, 2002 | By Robert Salonga

Posted on 02/20/2002 12:56:25 PM PST by vannrox

DAILY BRUIN ONLINE - Wednesday, February 20, 2002

Students protest Bush speaking at commencement
GRADUATION: Credentials and politics of first lady criticized; critics want invitation recalled


 
The Associated Press
First lady Laura Bush (middle) talks with Japanese Emperor Akihito (right)

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.


Author: Robert Salonga
Web Address: http://www.dailybruin.ucla.edu/db/articles.asp?ID=18521
Copyright 2002 ASUCLA Student Media


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS:
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To: Owl_Eagle
Maybe Osama can do it via satellite.
21 posted on 02/20/2002 1:19:01 PM PST by breakem
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To: vannrox
Watford then read a quote in which Bush allegedly admitted to becoming a librarian to expand her dating circle.

How come they only interviewed snot nosed females for this article? I'll check for answers later, I've got to run to the library now.

22 posted on 02/20/2002 1:19:14 PM PST by Fred Mertz
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To: Owl_Eagle
This type is going to be in for a real surprise when they exit the insular communist utopia of a university campus and have to enter the real world.

Wait until you hear them whine when they have to stand the welfare lines too long because they can't read! There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!

23 posted on 02/20/2002 1:20:54 PM PST by concerned about politics
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To: vannrox
Wow! Tough kids! She should obviously decline the invitation. I am sure that are many prominant Universities that would be proud to have the gracious Mrs. Dubya speak at their commencement ceremony. Well, maybe not in America.
24 posted on 02/20/2002 1:21:50 PM PST by NeonKnight
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To: Tarheel
"Estela is providing another example of why are public schools are going to **** in a handbasket"

Exactly! I just read another thread about the Portland school district lamenting that the percentage of school aged kids in their city who attend public schools is dropping drastically (due to private schools and homeschoolng). The educators at the district were all wailing and saying how badly they need the middle and upper class kids to stay in the public school system. Someone should mail a copy of this article to them.

25 posted on 02/20/2002 1:24:54 PM PST by quebecois
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To: vannrox
Our future educators are tipping their hand. I say we should cut off the little pukes from their source of cash. ie: the fedeal government.
26 posted on 02/20/2002 1:25:33 PM PST by Cold Heat
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To: vannrox
Watford then read a quote in which Bush allegedly admitted to becoming a librarian to expand her dating circle.

Are people beating down the doors to date librarians or something? This is news.

27 posted on 02/20/2002 1:26:26 PM PST by flada
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To: vannrox
Watford then read a quote in which Bush allegedly admitted to becoming a librarian to expand her dating circle.

A "quote" from what source?

Allegedly admitted?

Sounds fabricated to me, unless it was an offhand remark to get some interviewer off her back.

28 posted on 02/20/2002 1:27:15 PM PST by facedown
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To: vannrox
Young, stupid, and so misguided!
29 posted on 02/20/2002 1:27:35 PM PST by proudofthesouth
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To: vannrox
These 'educators' cannot even bear hearing the words of an opposing position. These 'educators' are graduating eneducated. If they only heard the opinions repeated and reinforced that they came in with then they will be going out with the same undeveloped 'feelings' masquerading as deep reflection. They all need mental enemas.

Why should Mrs. Bush lower herself to speak to these hillbillies?

30 posted on 02/20/2002 1:28:07 PM PST by rebdov
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To: Hobey Baker
My own commencement at a private university, I had a speaker who 'admitted' in her opening when she was asked she asked by the university president to speak she asked, "Who turned you down?" She ran a local charity.

You do get bizarre choices for these overblown, largely meaningless events. Is anyone ever happy with a selected commencement speaker?

I suspect their objection isn't that Laura is "significant" not by her career efforts but by her dating choices. Sure she taught, she was a librarian but what has she DONE, on her own merit, to warrant the honour of speaking to these students? On that level, the "doctoral candidate" might have a point. Pity she's obviously blinded by left-wing reactionary instinct. No doubt she'll become a school principle or some other mess and ruin innumeral students educational careers in the process of miseducating them all the while plundering the taxpayers for excessive salary and benefits.

31 posted on 02/20/2002 1:28:38 PM PST by newzjunkey
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To: vannrox
And what the 'hay' is the School of Education & Information Studies...and what would you do with a graduate degree in it?
32 posted on 02/20/2002 1:28:56 PM PST by belle99
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To: vannrox
Defund California . . .
33 posted on 02/20/2002 1:29:05 PM PST by Big Guy and Rusty 99
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To: vannrox
Mrs. Bush should teach an internet/ distance learning class. It would be easy for her, the kids would love it, and it would blast the liberals to pieces (she would so inspire them to learn that the libs would be chewing on their tongues.).
34 posted on 02/20/2002 1:30:13 PM PST by techcor
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To: ilgipper
These adult "graduate students" posted flyers around the UCLA Graduate School of Education saying "Laura Bush does not represent diversity". Apparently their definition of diversity is "only those who agree with us may speak." Taxpayers and parents of California take note. These deep thinkers are the people who very shortly are going to be responsible for educating your kids and preparing your kids' teachers to enter the classroom.
35 posted on 02/20/2002 1:31:18 PM PST by dano1
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To: Homer_J_Simpson
a doctoral student in [the prevention of] education.

LOL

36 posted on 02/20/2002 1:34:28 PM PST by dano1
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To: vannrox
Spoiled little stupid brats. The First Lady should not be subjected to their ignorance; she is far too valuable to those who have brains.
37 posted on 02/20/2002 1:35:15 PM PST by Peach
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To: vannrox
You know, I'd be interested in seeing who has spoken in the past.

At least the libs are indoctrinating their replacements well.

38 posted on 02/20/2002 1:36:00 PM PST by T. P. Pole
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To: dano1
These deep thinkers are the people who very shortly are going to be responsible for educating your kids and preparing your kids' teachers to enter the classroom.

Have you read post #25?
HAR!!! Maybe they won't? Vote school choice canidates.

39 posted on 02/20/2002 1:36:07 PM PST by concerned about politics
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To: vannrox
Ms Zarate's Work Product

Presentation of USs Military and Political Agenda in Afghanistan

Estela Zarate

October 30, 2001

40 posted on 02/20/2002 1:38:03 PM PST by UB355
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