George Mason U. Students Launch Petition to Drop Glenn Youngkin as Commencement Speaker

“The university’s student government leadership also opposes Youngkin as the commencement speaker”

Posted by Mike LaChance Friday, March 31, 2023 at 12:00pm 1 Comment

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People on the left want everyone to pay for ‘free’ college, but half of the country isn’t welcome on campus.

NBC 4 in Washington reports:

George Mason University Students Petition Against Youngkin as Commencement Speaker

Just days after George Mason University announced that Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin will be the school’s class of 2023 commencement speaker, some students are petitioning against him giving the speech.

The petition had received over 5,000 signatures by Monday morning, and the list is still growing.

George Mason announced on Wednesday, March 22 that Youngkin would address the graduating class of 2023.

“We look forward to welcoming Governor Youngkin to speak to our graduating students, who we expect will comprise the largest and most diverse class of graduates ever,” Mason President Gregory Washington said in a news release from the university. “Governor Youngkin’s drive for lifelong learning and his entrepreneurial mindset is what we cultivate in all of our graduates.”

George Mason senior Alaina Ruffin launched the petition against Youngkin’s speech on change.org on Thursday, March 23.

By Monday at noon, it had gathered over 5,800 signatures. By 5:45 p.m., it had over 6,100.

In the petition, Ruffin cites what she characterized as “intentional targeting” of marginalized groups as a reason why Youngkin should not speak at or attend the ceremony.

The university’s student government leadership also opposes Youngkin as the commencement speaker, saying in a letter they do not want to amplify the voice of a leader they feel has fueled harmful policies.

They cite Youngkin’s school “model policies,” which would require trans students to use school facilities and programs matching the sex they were assigned at birth, and would require parental approval for a student to use a name or pronoun other than the one in their official record.