Y'all feel free to shoot this down -- but when is commencement? What would happen if a bunch of outsiders, like me, who are entitled to wear academic regalia, showed up wearing such? I own my own hood and cap, it would involve renting a gown. Could we get enough gowns in time? Would the presence of 20-50 people in "academic" garb deliver a message? It might be a chance for all us pro-university, pro-education, etc folks to make a statement. Just an idea, maybe not practical.
I like quiet, subtle protests! The only potential problem I see is that enough people would be able to rent robes in time if they don't already own them
I know that this has been discussed a while back, but I'd like to raise the issue of whether there should be protests of some sort at graduation. I understand that many students and their parents don't want to have "their day" interrupted by anything, and I respect that. But I'm going to have a hard time going to graduation and pretending that nothing has happened here and everything is okay. Thoughts?
Maybe not protests, per se. I would not advocate anything to take attention away from the graduates and the ceremonies. A lot goes into finishing a degree anymore. (At my ug commencement, long ago, my 3-year old kept asking, "but why do Mommies have to grad-u-ate?") But possibly, if my cap and gown idea won't work, some sort of button that is not OVERTLY anti-Thames, but is PRO something else, like "I support the Liberal Arts" -- something that won't get people removed from the arena.
I do not know how I would be able to sit and listen to SFT speak, but hey, he has to stand there and face the phalanx of faculty members!