Florida college students arrange separate commencement, rejecting board's Trumpy speaker

their gofundme account for alternative commencement

https://www.gofundme.com/f/ncf-grad-event-on-our-own-terms

Alex Wagner reports that the New College of Florida's class of 2023 are arranging their own graduation commencement ceremony with a special speaker after Ron DeSantis's board imposed one of Donald Trump's dubious Covid advisors as the official commencement speaker.



The former coronavirus adviser to Donald Trump supported Ron DeSantis' reopening of Florida during the pandemic.
A medical advisor who supported Gov. Ron DeSantis’ anti-lockdown policies during the pandemic will speak at New College’s commencement ceremony.

Dr. Scott Atlas will address graduates on May 19 at the Sarasota campus, at the Bayfront historic Ringling mansion.

“Dr. Atlas’ perspective and resume are impressive; he is a champion and fighter for free speech and a renowned national leader,” said Richard Corcoran, Interim President of New College. “We are happy to welcome him here at New College, where we place a high value on personal freedom and individual autonomy, as Dr. Atlas does.”

The move will likely turn some heads, and the selection leans into the message the one-time haven for liberal students could be taking a hard-right turn.

Atlas was appointed in 2020 as special coronavirus adviser to President Donald Trump but quickly resigned amid friction with other public health leaders within the administration, including Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx. Atlas promoted the concept of “herd immunity,” having a wide span of the population develop natural immunity to COVID-19, well before a vaccine was available.

https://floridapolitics.com/archives/611083-new-college-to-bring-in-scott-atlas-as-commencement-speaker/