According to report that aired Monday on Huntsville, AL NBC affiliate WAFF, some students at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) are objecting to Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) as the keynote speaker for this upcoming spring’s graduation ceremony. One of those reasons cited is Sessions support of Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump for president.
A petition has been started by UAH student Victoria Forrester on Change.org asking Dr. Christine Curtis, the university’s provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, to reject Sessions as the graduation speaker. She cited “a long-standing record of voting against funding for higher education” as one of her reason for for opposing Sessions.
Christine Curtis: Remove Jeff Sessions as the UAH Spring 2016 Commencement Speaker – Sign the Petition! https://t.co/yruVXGaGJ9 via @Change
— Victoria Forrester (@CivilAtLeast) March 28, 2016
However, she also said security was reason for opposing Sessions. Forrester pointed to violence at Trump’s political rallies as cause for concern.
“There’s been a lot of violence at those rallies,” Forrester told WAFF. “I don’t see why I should have to anticipate any possible violence at my graduation.”
UAH student government president Austin Finley expressed his support for Sessions to remain as the graduation speaker.
“Sen. Sessions has been a strong supporter of our military,” Finley said to WAFF. “And, I’m very thankful for his service to the state of Alabama and to this country.”
Last month at a rally before an estimated 30,000 in nearby Madison, AL, Sessions formally endorsed Trump.
Follow Jeff Poor on Twitter @jeff_poor
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