Florida-based HBCU, Florida Agricultural & Mechanical College (FAMU)’s newly appointed president, Marva Johnson, is being petitioned in opposition to by college students and alumni for her controversial ties to the Republican Occasion. Specifically Florida governor Ron DeSantis who is understood for his legal guidelines in opposition to using pronouns in faculties, loss of life penalty sentencing, and the authorized carrying of a gun with out a allow. This connection has left many involved with how her management model and affect will influence the varsity.
Final Friday, FAMU’s board of trustees voted 8-4 regardless of the brewing controversy and battle of curiosity being known as out over social media. Critics of Johnson know her as “MAGA Marva” for her intensive ties to the Republican Occasion and politician Ron DeSantis. Johnson joins an extended record of friends of DeSantis who’ve been newly appointed into management roles, similar to Richard Corcoran and Jeanette Nuñez. Her background contains sitting on the board for the Florida State Board of Schooling and the Florida Structure Revision Committee. Johnson additionally labored intently with DeSantis throughout her time on his workforce as schooling co-chair and administration workforce.
HBCUs are below assault and my beloved FAMU is within the bullseye.
Filmmaker, producer, and FAMU alumnus, Will Packer, took to social media after the announcement, calling for fellow alumni and HBCU supporters to band collectively in opposition to the change, which they imagine will likely be for the more severe.
There was a petition created in favor of eradicating Johnson as president that has already gained over 12,000 signatures. College students have additionally taken to social media to voice their outrage and have begun protesting on the campus.
The college’s interim president, Dr. Timothy Beard, has since launched a assertion in favor of Johnson and his assist of her management. “We additionally acknowledge that the end result of the Board vote was shocking to many. There was a robust need amongst some stakeholders for a extra conventional selection. The Board vote displays a imaginative and prescient for navigating a quickly evolving increased schooling panorama — one which values innovation, adaptability, and strategic partnerships to place FAMU for long-term success. The assertion additionally urges supporters of the varsity to stay engaged regardless of public opposition and scrutiny of Johnson.
In line with the Tallahassee Democrat, the beforehand mentioned and agreed upon funds for the brand new president ranges from $600-750,000 as a method to draw what could be thought-about prime expertise. Johnson makes historical past because the second feminine president to guide the varsity since 2016.