Harvard Students Stand up to Betsy DeVos in Silent Protest

Occurred on September 28, 2017 / Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

Info from Licensor: "Betsy Devos came to speak at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government after participating in a Koch brothers-sponsored conference on school choice at Harvard. Students from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard College, Harvard Kennedy School, and Harvard Law School collaborated to send her a powerful message that they disagree with her policies. The academic dean of Harvard Kennedy School opened the event saying that anybody who was disruptive would be escorted out. Secret Service and security were expecting students to shout down Devos, and they were prepared to escort out students who did so. But when the protest was silent they were caught by surprise. Devos was able to make her full remarks and take questions afterwards while surrounded by a powerful visual protest by dozens of students inside who resist her policies. Students expressed deep concern around Devos' school choice agenda which enables corporate interests to profit off the backs of students, her dismantling of Title 9 protections for survivors of sexual assault, her racist education policies which continue to disproportionately under-fund and harm communities of color, and more. Outside the Kennedy School, hundreds more protesters chanted and demonstrated. The students showed a commitment to free speech by protesting in silence during Devos's talk, allowing her to give her full remarks. The secretary also engaged in a respectful Question and Answer session with students. After the event ended and Secretary Devos had left the stage some students chanted in celebration of their successful protest which enabled views from all sides to be respectfully expressed."