White House correspondent Helen Thomas retired from the Hearst Corporation today after making a controversial statement about Israel May 27. Her retirement ended a 50-year career as a White House correspondent.
Thomas had been scheduled to speak at graduation June 14, but principal Alan Goodwin asked Thomas to step down as the speaker over the weekend.
“Graduation is supposed to be a cohesive event, where we all celebrate the achievements of seniors together,” Goodwin said. “We’re trying to keep graduation a positive experience for all.”
People from around the country have been e-mailing Goodwin and calling the school both supporting and opposing his decision to choose to a different speaker.
“There were some very disappointed people — not so much in the Whitman community, but I’m hearing from other people,” he said. “I’m getting responses from all over the United States right now. Ninety-nine percent of them agree with the decision, but I have a few that don’t.”
Over a hundred students have joined the group “Helen Thomas should’ve been our graduation speaker.” Senior Will Bartlett created the group Sunday night in an effort to show respect for Thomas’ achievements, even though he understood that Thomas wouldn’t be the speaker.
“She’s one of the more recognizable faces in Washington, probably in the country,” said Todd Gillman, Washington Bureau Chief with the Dallas Morning News. “I think this is a very sad way for her career to end.”
Kay Mills, a former journalist for United Press International, used to work for Thomas, who she said was a leader in the feminist movement for journalists.
“Women used to have to sit in the balcony when speakers would come to the Press Club, which meant they couldn’t ask questions, and they couldn’t get down to the phones as fast as the men could, back in the day when it mattered how fast you could get to the phones,” she said. “Helen was one of the leaders in getting women admitted to the National Press Club on a fully equal basis. I’m sorry to see her leave.”
During a Jewish Heritage month celebration at the White House, Thomas told an interviewer from rabbilive.com that Israelis should “get the hell out of Palestine” and go “home to Poland and Germany.” Thomas issued an apology on her website June 4.
Senior Erica Bloom organized an event on Facebook over the weekend to petition against Helen Thomas speaking at graduation. Several Whitman parents and around 30 students rallied behind Bloom on Facebook in an effort to get Goodwin to find a new graduation speaker for the ceremony.
“As a Jewish person who lived in Israel for two months, I found it hurtful that she said to send us back to where we belong,” Bloom said. “I feel like, as a Jewish person who believes that going to Israel and living in Israel is a part of the religion and a part of who I am, that Israel is the homeland. She said to leave and go home, but home is Israel.”
Even though many students are angered by Thomas’ comments, around 215 students were “not attending” the protest because they felt Thomas’ political opinions didn’t have an impact on her credibility as a commencement speaker.
“I would pass on hearing about her insulting and flawed political views any day,” senior Dena Goodman wrote on the Facebook event. “However, we would definitely be passing up a great opportunity to hear her speak about her really long life and impressive career.”
Goodwin will announce the new graduation speaker by the end of the week.