On Wednesday, October 21, 2015 Bethune-Cookman University will host it's 3rd Annual Mary McLeod Bethune Legacy Awards Gala where they plan to honor Florida Governor Rick Scott with the Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Leadership Award at the Ocean Center (101 N. Atlantic Ave) in Daytona Beach, Florida - See more at: http://www.cookman.edu/newsinfo/newsroom/newsReleases/2015/bethune-cookman-university-to-honor-governor-rick-scott-and-other-outstanding-leaders.html#sthash.ypgMplZ6.dpuf

This great institution of higher learning has chosen to commit such an atrocity as honoring a man that has done quite the opposite for the poor, minority and disenfranchised of our state. As a premier historical Black College and University of Florida the institution should be embarrassed by this decision to celebrate a man with such a record. Rick Scott has:

• Committed $1.7B in federal government fraud
• Refuses to restore rights of ex-felons who have served their time (35% of those ex-felons are black one of the largest in the nation)
• Opposes expanding medicaid to millions of low-income and minority people in Florida who don't qualify for the Affordable care act 
• Purged voters from the voting files each election year
• In an effort to stifle the black vote he cut early voting hours across the state to include "Souls to the Polls" a Sunday that African-Americans vote at higher rates than any of early voting day
• Only appointed 1 black state judge
• Only appointed 1 black person to his cabinet
• Proposed bills to drug test welfare recipients
• Cut all HBCU funding in 2011 including Bethune-Cookman (http://hbcubuzz.com/florida-gov-rick-scott-cuts-all-funding-to-states-hbcus-in-florida/)

The institution has chosen to honor him because of financial support he has provided or reinstated since taking it away in 2011, he's our governor and he should do that for all Florida institutions. As alumni we must come together to support our institution in more ways than one and that includes financially so that our great institution doesn't subject itself to making a choice that slaps it's entire alumni and student body in the face. I am a Florida resident and voter and have felt the negative affects of this governor and hope that you contact our great institution to share your dislike with their choice to celebrate a man who does not celebrate African-American residents he governs.

Sign the petition to stop this from happening. The Bethune-Cookman University community deserves more and should demand it.