Mayor Turner To Deliver SHSU Criminal Justice Commencement Tonite

HUNTSVILLE, TX -- Mayor Sylvester Turner has been tapped to deliver the commencement address for the criminal justice graduates Thursday night at Sam Houston State University, leaving a number of parents and alumni angry.

University officials announced the line up of commencement speakers on the school’s Facebook Page on April 18.

According to that posting, the Houston Texans Jamey Rootes will address the graduates of the Colleges of Education, Humanities & Social Sciences, and Health Sciences.

KPRC sports director and anchor Randy McIlvoy will address the graduates of the Colleges of Science & Engineering Technology, Fine Arts & Mass Communications, and Business Administration.

Turner was chosen to address the graduates of the College of Criminal Justice on Thursday, May 9 at 7:00 p.m., leaving many bewildered in light of the Proposition B fight between Turner and the Houston Professional Firefighters Association.

Ryan Holak, a Houston area firefighter who graduated from Sam Houston State in 2009, was among those perplexed by the school’s choice to address the criminal justice graduates.

“I thought this was comical in a negative sense,” Holak said. “What is the job of a mayor? Fix the roads, pick up the trash; fire, police, and EMS. That’s the core function of running a city. Everything else is extra.”

Holak, who said he’s a member of SHSU’s alumni association, said the layoff of 220 firefighters, and the demotion of more than 400 others on Wednesday was a direct attack on the fire service.

More than 120 people responded to SHSU’s post on the school’s Facebook page, with nearly all calling the choice of Turner embarrassing and shameful, in light of the Proposition B fight.

Stephanie Knific, director of marketing and communications at Sam Houston State University, released the following statement:

"Commencement is a long-standing tradition which acknowledges the academic accomplishments of Sam Houston State University graduates. It is a time of celebration and pride. Many of our graduates are first generation and have overcome serious obstacles in obtaining their degree, much like Mayor Turner and his pursuit of higher education.

Sylvester Turner grew up in Acres Homes with his eight siblings. The family had limited means; his mother worked as a maid and his father worked as a commercial painter.

At age 13, Turner lost his father to cancer, but with the help of his family, pastors and teachers, he excelled academically and as a student leader. He was senior class president and valedictorian at Klein High School. At the University of Houston he was Speaker of the Student Senate and graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. degree in political science. He graduated from Harvard Law School and then joined the law firm of Fulbright & Jaworski, later founding the Houston law firm of Barnes & Turner in 1983. In 1988, Turner was elected to the Texas House of Representatives serving House District 139. In 2015, he was elected as the 62nd Mayor of Houston, the fourth largest city in the United States.

Education has had a tremendous impact on Turner’s life. At Sam Houston State, our students are just beginning their journey, a journey that will be forever shaped by their education and the opportunities it creates. Commencement is a momentous occasion that celebrates these academic achievements and will remain above any political discourse or opinion."