Wichita State cancels Ivanka Trump's speech to tech school

A Kansas technical school canceled plans for Ivanka Trump to give a virtual commencement speech to gruates because of criticism of President Donald Trump’s response to protests over death of George Floyd.

ministrators at Wichita State University and WSU Tech anunced decision late Thursday, just hours after y h anunced president's daughter would be speaking to WSU Tech gruates. ministrators of both universities, which are affiliated, said Saturday's gruation for technical university would be “refocused” on students, with a nursing gruate as only speaker.

Ivanka Trump visited WSU Tech's National Center for Aviation Training last fall. anuncement that president's daughter would speak drew immediate criticism, led by Jennifer Ray, associate professor of photo media at Wichita State, who sent a letter asking school ministrators to cancel speech. It circulated on social media and garnered 488 signatures from faculty, students and alumni before speech was canceled, Wichita Eagle

While ting that Wichita State does t have ministrative control over WSU Tech, Ray said having Trump speak would taint both institutions. Protests have broken out around world since Floyd, who was black, died in Minneapolis after a white police officer pressed a knee on his neck for several minutes even after he stopped moving and pleing for air.

Ray wrote that President Trump has said he might use federal military troops to quell U.S. demonstrations and has me his “callous disregard” for mirities well kwn, while refusing to criticize police tactics during demonstrations.

“We owe it to our students to stand up for right thing when and where we can,” Ray wrote. “To our students of color, and to me, inviting Ivanka Trump to speak right w sends mess that WSU Tech does t take diversity seriously.”

In a separate statement, WSU Tech President Sheree Utash ackwledged that “ timing of anuncement was insensitive” and apologized.

During ceremony, WSU Tech students will be able to hear prerecorded congratulatory messs from more than 30 speakers, including Ivanka Trump.

(Im Credit: AP)