New College of Florida graduates turn backs, wear masks in protest of leadership, changes

What is annually a quiet, under-the-radar New College of Florida graduation ceremony on the Bayfront was instead packed with guests, alumni, and media as the college hosted its first commencement ceremony since Gov. Ron DeSantis' controversial takeover of the small liberal arts college in January.

In a showing of protest against the DeSantis-appointed New College leadership and the President Donald Trump-tied commencement speaker, hundreds of students and attendees at Friday's graduation ceremony wore masks and turned their backs.

Friday's ceremony came just one day after a student-run alternative ceremony organized in protest of changes to the school brought about by new DeSantis-appointed trustees and Interim President Richard Corcoran.

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Students and attendees at Friday's event demonstrated in protest of the college's commencement speaker, Scott Atlas, a radiologist who is the Robert Wesson Senior Fellow in health policy at the Hoover Institution of Stanford University. He was a controversial figure in Trump's administration, serving as a special White House adviser during the COVID-19 pandemic. His views often contradicted the prevailing medical advice on how to combat COVID.

Early in Atlas' speech, attendees shouted "This is a graduation, this isn't about you," and "Go f--k yourself," which prompted police to enter the crowd. Late in the speech, most of the several hundred attendees had stood with their backs turned chanting "Wrap it up" for about a minute.

Commencement speaker Scott Atlas praises DeSantis

Atlas spoke about the county's response to COVID-19 and was critical of lockdowns, praising DeSantis and his response to the pandemic. His comments on the pandemic often drew boos from the audience, which the sign language interpreter mimicked with two thumbs down.

Sophia Brown, the editor-in-chief of the school's student newspaper, gave the student speech Friday evening. In contrast to the crowd's reaction to Atlas, Brown received a standing ovation.

"This is the version of New College that I have faith in," Brown said about the graduating cohort.

As more than 100 students walked across the stage and received their diplomas, Corcoran stood at the back as other faculty shook their hands.

Since taking over in January, the DeSantis-appointed board abolished the school's Office of Outreach and Inclusive Excellence, fired the school's president and appointed Corcoran, fired the school's chief diversity official, denied tenure to faculty, added a sports department and teased a new "core curriculum" to turn the school into a classical liberal arts college akin to the conservative Christian Hillsdale College in Michigan.

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Many parents of graduates were critical of the new administration and said they were "disheartened" by the direction of the college's leadership.

“It’s disheartening that you'd have such an animosity by the school and the government towards its students," said Larry Silverman, 57, a parent of a New College graduate. "You wouldn't see a business that would really pick a fight with its own customers. And so it's sad because this was a special place.”

Former Trump advisor's speech 'a slap in the face'

Brook Ledbetter, a 48-year-old mother of an LGBTQ+ New College graduate, wore a "proud mom" shirt as she sat waiting for the ceremony. She said the college tapping Atlas as the commencement speaker was a "slap in the face" to the student body.

"It's sickening. I just think it's deplorable," Ledbetter said.

Jerry, Ledbetter's spouse, said he used to support DeSantis. However, the governor's support of the “Don’t Say Gay” bill and the changes at New College have caused Ledbetter to not support him anymore. He said he isn’t sure who he’d vote for anymore.

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Eliza, Jerry and Brook’s 22-year-old daughter, graduated with her degree in biopsychology with a minor in animal wellbeing.

She wished Atlas would have given more advice as a speaker, rather than talking about his time as a Trump COVID advisor and commenting on pandemic lockdowns.

Donned in a rainbow “Don’t Say DeSantis” shirt, a jab at the governor’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, Eliza said she felt DeSantis was trying to eliminate the school’s current student body.

“He’s trying to get rid of everyone that supports what this college is about and support the diversity of students,” she said.

Follow Herald-Tribune Education Reporter Steven Walker on Twitter at @swalker_7. He can be reached at sbwalker@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: New College of Florida graduates protest DeSantis-appointees at commencement