Ave Maria alumni respond to letter denouncing Betsy DeVos as speaker
Annika Hammerschlag
More than 100 Ave Maria University alumni have signed a letter defending their alma mater’s decision to host U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos as its 2018 commencement speaker.
The letter was drafted in response to an earlier one signed by other Ave Maria alumni who opposed the invitation.
The original letter, signed by 36 graduates and published by the Naples Daily News last month, contended Ave Maria’s “endorsement” of DeVos is at odds with the university’s Catholic and liberal arts values and “casts the University in a pointedly partisan light.”
The authors of the rebuttal letter said the school’s decision to host a policymaker on campus creates an opportunity for an open exchange of ideas, which is fundamental to the ideals of a liberal arts institution.
More:Ave Maria alumni oppose U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos as 2018 commencement speaker
More:U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to speak at Ave Maria University graduation
“Additionally, having someone of Mrs. DeVos’ stature on campus is an opportunity for the school to advance its unique Catholic mission and extend its positive influence into the political community, including the current administration,” the letter reads.
In the first letter, alumni cited DeVos’ comments on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act at her Senate confirmation hearing as one example of her divergence from Catholic values.
DeVos stated the enforcement of the federal law, which regulates how public schools provide services to students with disabilities, is best left up to the states. In October the Education Department rescinded 72 guidance documents that outlined the rights of students covered by the law, also known as IDEA.
In their response, the larger group of alumni said their former classmates’ arguments were “unfounded and nothing short of mere conjecture.” DeVos is committed to enforcing federal law and protecting the rights of disabled students, they argued.
“The documents were rescinded for practical purposes; they were either outdated or superseded by more recent guidance,” they wrote.
Furthermore, the alumni said DeVos’ support for school choice, voucher programs and homeschooling “coincides with the Catholic view that parents are the primary educators of their children.”
Mary Tompkins, a 2008 Ave Maria graduate who drafted the response letter, said she initially was unfamiliar with DeVos and her policies but felt compelled to learn more when she heard about the criticism being directed toward her alma mater’s pick for commencement speaker.
After reading about the education secretary, Tompkins, a stay-at-home mom homeschooling her children in Virginia, concluded her former classmates were not painting an accurate picture of DeVos.
“The more I investigated, the more I realized their claims were erroneous,” she said. “As Catholics, we strive for the truth, and this fell short.”
In the response letter, Tompkins argued that the alumni's disapproval of DeVos as commencement speaker is hypocritical.
“It is ironic that the letter invokes the ideals of ‘inclusivity and diversity’ while demanding that someone with opposing political views not be allowed to speak at commencement,” the response letter reads.
Although the original letter sparked a heated debate on the Ave Maria alumni Facebook group, Tompkins said many of the signatories of the first letter were old friends and one even was a roommate.
If they were back at Ave Maria, she said, they would have discussed the controversy in their dorm rooms.
“The whole experience made me miss Ave Maria,” she said. “I respect them and I know they care about the university deeply.”
About 250 students are expected to receive degrees at the graduation ceremony, which is set for 10 a.m. Saturday in the Tom Golisano Field House.
The event will mark DeVos’ third official visit to Collier County. DeVos read to kindergartners at Lake Park Elementary in November after visiting Florida SouthWestern Collegiate High, a charter school in Fort Myers. In October she toured Everglades City School and Pinecrest Elementary in Immokalee to survey damage from Hurricane Irma.
The Letter
As proud Ave Maria University alumni, we were dismayed by the article "Ave Maria Alumni Oppose U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos as 2018 Commencement Speaker" published on April 14, 2018. Although the title would suggest that there is a consensus among alumni on the matter, there is in fact a diversity of opinion within the Ave Maria alumni community regarding this and many other subjects. In the spirit of journalistic integrity, please allow us the opportunity to respond to the objections in the alumni open letter and offer our own letter in defense of Mrs. DeVos as Ave Maria University's choice of commencement speaker for 2018.
The first objection raised in the alumni letter is that the University's praise for an incumbent Cabinet member rings as an endorsement of her political party and therefore undermines the University's ability to teach impartially. While we wholeheartedly agree that a liberal arts institution, especially one of a Catholic character, must be free of political indoctrination, we reject the notion that the University is unable to honor an active civil servant in good standing with the Catholic Church without simultaneously endorsing his or her political party. As Catholics we do not confuse one's personal identity with his or her political identity, nor equate an endorsement of a public figure with imposing indoctrination on others. Indeed, having an incumbent Cabinet member come and speak at commencement offers the members of our school a greater opportunity to exchange ideas with those presently responsible for enacting laws and policies for the good of society. Such an occasion for dialogue does not diminish the character of a liberal arts institution; rather, it further cements its role as a “marketplace of ideas for its members.” Additionally, having someone of Mrs. DeVos’ stature on campus is an opportunity for the school to advance its unique Catholic mission and extend its positive influence into the political community, including the current administration. Finally, based on the quality of education offered and our confidence in the faculty of Ave Maria, we have no doubt that members of the graduating class are well-equipped to hear from an incumbent Cabinet member without losing their ability to think critically.
The letter's second objection, that Mrs. DeVos' policies as Secretary are in conflict with Catholic social teaching, is not only unfounded, but is also an unfortunate misrepresentation of the Catholic position on these issues. While it is true that Catholic institutions must refrain from honoring politicians who act in outright defiance of Church teaching on grave moral issues, the claims raised by the alumni do not constitute areas of grave matter but fall squarely in the realm of opinion. Additionally, the evidence provided to substantiate this serious accusation is drawn from outdated and incomplete information and, as a result, the conclusion drawn is demonstrably false.
First, the letter points to Mrs. DeVos' words at her Senate confirmation hearing regarding the implementation of IDEA, to illustrate her disregard for federal law and highlight her "tacit approval of states that disenfranchise disabled children." The alumni conclude that her policies are "callous and unjust towards marginalized persons." These accusations impugning Mrs. DeVos' character are unfounded and nothing short of mere conjecture. Mrs. DeVos has stated and proven on numerous occasions that she is "committed to enforcing all federal laws and protecting the hard won rights of students with disabilities." Similarly, the alumni letter alleges that the act of rescinding 72 guidance documents for the implementation of IDEA demonstrates Mrs. DeVos' hostility towards special needs children and parents. In fact, the documents were rescinded for practical purposes; they were either outdated or superseded by more recent guidance. Finally, though our fellow alumni protest Mrs. DeVos' support of special education voucher programs, such as Florida's McKay Scholarship Program, that require disabled students to waive their due process under IDEA, it should be noted that such a waiver is not permanent. In fact, a disabled student's rights under the IDEA may be reinstated if the student stops using the voucher program and returns to the public school system. Regardless, these arguments are merely objections to the process by which school voucher programs work, and they do not in any way implicate Mrs. DeVos of acting against the culture of life we Catholics must strive to promote.
All evidence affirms that, contrary to the allegation in the alumni letter, Mrs. DeVos' actions and policies are not in any way antithetical to Catholic social teaching. In fact, many would argue that her advocacy of school voucher programs, school choice, and friendliness to homeschooling coincides with the Catholic view that parents are the primary educators of their children. Many would also contend that allowing parents and local communities to have more control over their children's education promotes the flourishing of society. While we all share the desire to help families with special needs children to access a quality education, Catholics may differ as to what is the best approach and can hold differing views on this topic without losing their Catholic identity. This idea — that reasonable minds can differ on approaches to these issues — is sadly absent from the alumni letter, which instead paints a decidedly one-sided account of how Catholics should view the policies of Mrs. DeVos.
We recognize that the group of alumni who oppose Mrs. DeVos as commencement speaker, many of whom are personal friends, wrote to the Naples Daily News out of a genuine concern for the well being of Ave Maria University and its mission to provide an excellent liberal arts education. While the alumni are well within their rights to object, and we support their ability to do so, their letter does not accurately represent the mindset of the alumni community. The letter's faulty claims and accusations undermine its message, as these errors cast the letter in a "pointedly partisan light." It also fails to treat Mrs. DeVos as a unique individual deserving of our respect, regardless of her party affiliation. Indeed, it is ironic that the letter invokes the ideals of "inclusivity and diversity" while demanding that someone with opposing political views not be allowed to speak at commencement. As Catholics, we must reject this widespread tendency to seek to silence opposing viewpoints and must not allow our political proclivities to cloud our judgment of ideas, rather we must strive to discover the truth in all matters.
In a spirit of friendship with our fellow alumni and in accordance with the inscription on our school emblem, "Veritatis Splendor" — "the splendor of truth," we the undersigned offer this letter with the desire to shine the light of truth on the false claims against Mrs. DeVos and affirm unreservedly Ave Maria University's right to welcome her as commencement speaker.
Chelsea Allan, 2015
Victoria Antram, 2017
Regina Avila, 2017
Theresa Axelson, M.T.S., 2007
Erica Bauer (Pfab), 2012
Katherine Blakeman (Rosario), 2011
Joseph Bonner, 2017
Neal Borter, 2007
Veronica Brooks (Lyter), 2013
Rachael Brouillette, 2017
Marshall Clutter, 2016
Madeleine Conley, 2017
Zach Crockett, 2013
Tyler Cutrer, 2013
Cody David, 2015
Jaleh Doran (Gerami), 2012
Clare Eckard, 2017
Dave Englestad, 2007
Siobhan Fagan, 2017
Brittany Fangmeier (Allen), M.Ed., M. Ed. L., 2007
Christianne Fenzl (Ludwick), 2013
Michael Fenzl, 2013
Martin Flaherty, 2012
Erin Foushee (Mulhern), 2009
Carolynne Gaetano (MacDonald), 2013
John Gargano, 2017
Angela Gil (Loweree), 2009
Kilty Gonzalez (Maher), 2008
Bryan Gray, 2014
Daniel Gualteros, 2018
Joe Guernsey, 2016
Nathaniel Hallenbeck, 2016
Mary Hardy, 2013
John Paul Hare, 2017
Rachel Harrington (Costello), 2017
Phillip Henderson, 2013
Miguel Hernandez, 2009
Tayler Howie, 2017
Don Bosco Hu, 2014
Audrey Huck (Seghers), 2010
John Hudock, 2011
Dick Jacobs, 2016
John Jochum, 2012
Joshua Johanni, 2012
Christopher Johnson, M.D., 2008
Julia Kang, 2007
Laura Karls (Bolton), 2014
Joseph Kennedy, 2016
Anne Kerian, 2008
Phil Kuenstle, 2013
Charlotte Kunkler, 2016
Sarah Landry, 2014
Christina Lazowski (Corona), 2008
Raymond Lazowski, 2009
Ralph Lenzi, 2015
Pete Lesniewski, 2012
James Lesniewski, 2016
Daniel R. Levesque, 2014
Grace Littleton, 2010
Joseph Livaudais, 2017
Ashley Loweree (Hite), 2014
Gabriel Loweree, 2013
Adrian Martínez, 2011
Mitch McGuire, 2016
Gloria Meich (Loweree), 2008
Marissa Meyer, M. M., 2015
Sophia Mick, 2015
Caitria Mick, 2018
Andrea Miles (Corona), 2011
Annaleah Miravalle, 2013
Emily Morton, 2016
Marianna Muller, 2009
Isabel Nolan (Avila), 2013
Kevin Nolan, 2013
Conner O’Brien, 2017
Michelle O’Loughlin, 2017
Arielle Oberhauser (Chapman), 2011
Katie O'Hare, 2009
Christopher O'Loughlin, 2016
Daniel O'Rourke, 2016
Jonathan Pohlgeers, 2015
Kendra Posch, 2016
Jacob Pride, 2008
Emily Reed, 2016
Tara Reeves (Littleton), 2010
Ryan Reeves, 2009
Katherine Rettig, 2013
Kathryn de los Reyes (Eads), 2017
George de los Reyes JR, 2017
Erica Ritter, 2016
Ryan Rochefort, 2014
Angie Rose (Mullally), 2012
Michael Rose, 2015
Scott Ruane, 2014
Molly Rublee, 2013
Regina Russo, 2016
Grace De Salvo (Farley), M.A., 2014
Michael Santschi, 2012
Thomas Sawyer, 2013
Richard Shockley, 2014
Meghan Smith, 2009
Father Luke Suarez, 2007
Teresa Suarez, 2011
Patrick Suarez, 2016
Victoria Thompson, 2015
Nicolette Tompkins (Posch), 2009
Mary Tompkins (Suarez), 2008
Ryan Tompkins, 2008
Joseph Tompkins, Esq., 2009
Kathryn Trudeau, 2017
Isabella Ulloa, 2018
Olivia Wagner (Rosario), 2007
Donald V. Orrico, 2013