A recently published Wall Street Journal op-ed asking soon-to-be First Lady Dr. Jill Biden to drop the honorific denoting her Ed.D. has inspired heated criticism from many academics who are calling it sexist, classist and elitist.
The piece, “Is There a Doctor in the White House? Not if You Need an M.D.,” is written by Joseph Epstein, an author who identifies himself as a bachelor’s degree holder who taught at Northwestern University for 30 years. Notably, Northwestern has since distanced itself from Epstein, clarifying that he has not lectured at the university since 2003 and that it disagrees with his “misogynistic views.”
Addressing Biden, who is 69, as “kiddo,” Epstein begins the piece with what he calls “a bit of advice.”
“Any chance you might drop the “Dr.” before your name?” Epstein writes. “‘Dr. Jill Biden’ sounds and feels fraudulent, not to say a touch comic. Your degree is, I believe, an Ed.D., a doctor of education, earned at the University of Delaware through a dissertation with the unpromising title ‘Student Retention at the Community College Level: Meeting Students’ Needs.’”
For Dr. Felicia Commodore, an assistant professor of education foundations and leadership at Old Dominion University, the op-ed brought several age-old but pertinent points to mind.
“The first thing that crossed my mind was that women, and particularly people of color, have to go through this all the time, this argument about whether or not we should call ourselves doctors,” said Commodore.
She described the op-ed as “a temper tantrum of a privileged person.”
