Peter King at Center of Graduation Controversy

By Edward Robinson

The selection of Rep. Peter King, R-Seaford, to be the commencement speaker at St. John’s University is meeting with some resistance from students at the Queens campus.  

A group of students put up a petition in the change.org website calling on the university to replace him as speaker.  

“King has made discriminatory and offensive comments regarding issues such as domestic terrorism and bilingual education,” the protesters wrote on website.  

They cited King’s criticism of bilingual education and the hearings he held on the extent of radicalization in the Muslim-American community as examples of why  the Congressman should be disinvited.
 
“As a former professor who has had a number of students from a variety of cultural backgrounds, Rep. King's track record of hateful rhetoric against Islam has no place on one of the most diverse campuses in the United States,” wrote Alex DiBlasi, who was one of more than 500 people who signed the petition.  

King said he was invited several months ago by St. John’s President Donald Harrington, and was told that the  school planned to honor those who made an impact after Hurricane Sandy. New York City Fire Commissioner Sal Cassano was invited to the commencement at the school’s Staten Island campus on May 18.  

King will receive an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree at the Queens Commencement scheduled the next day, according to the university. King said that the decision by St. John’s students to protest, “is their right even though they are misguided and wrong.”  

“It is a great privilege to have been selected as St. John’s commencement speaker," King said. "I am saddened that this outstanding university is being dragged into this fight. But the right of free speech and academic freedom is paramount and I commend St. John’s University. I look forward to the commencement ceremony.”