Joseph Epstein/Jill Biden Controversy over Ed.D.

[financeguy]

It looks like Epstein's recent request that Jill Biden drop the "Dr." has drawn the ire of many, including his former employer Northwestern University.

There are many reasons to take a jab at education programs, but that's not even what he does. Very bizarre article simply implying the title should be reserved for those with an M.D. I guess you could go this route without even disparaging academic or professional degrees by claiming that the public is going to be confused, especially if the person in question is running their mouth publicly about health issues such as Covid-19.

The idiots on the view already recommended that she be considered for surgeon general in a recent flub on the show. Considering that they are 5-10 IQ points higher than the average American and 20 points above their own viewers, I think a legit critique (aside from education programs are fraudulent to begin with...) could be made about the decision to keep this title as first lady.

[Ruralguy]

Her title is legit. She gets to use it. For various reasons, it's likely not to be used at every function she attends. But the "it's confusing" argument is weak and is just an attempt to strip opposition of achievements. What's funny is some long time conservatives like Newt have insisted on not being called Dr. for decades. That's likely more for populist reasons than "it's confusing."

[Caracal]

Personally, I wouldn't ever use my Dr. title outside of academia, and I always tell anybody who addresses me as Dr other than students at school to please call me by my first name. However, that comes from a certain amount of comfort with other's perceptions of me and my social status that lets me feel like it would be gauche to use the title in other areas of my life. I'm not really in much danger of being treated like crap as Mr. Caracal.

[Ruralguy]

Me too, though I don't stress this as much as I used to because it feeds into inconsistent usage at my school, and especially for women.

[Katrina Gulliver]

Northwestern have apparently distanced themselves from Epstein, removing him from their emeritus list
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/jill-biden-wall-street-journal-northwestern-university-b1772915.html

[mahagonny]

random thoughts:

If she ever want to run for president, she needs to drop the 'Dr.' right now. It's a liability. Maybe if voters distrust a woman for being too educated it will mean women have parity.
Joyce Brothers got everyone to call her 'Doctor' without a diversity and inclusion office to explain to us why we should.

[Ruralguy]

Several decades ago there was controversy in NYC area because a prominent  on-air weatherman called himself "Dr." and he was a medical doctor, not a meteorologist.  He dropped the "Doc" and was close to retirement anyway.

I propose that Doctor Who just be changed to Who because nobody knows what degree she has (or even what gender she has going back or forward in time).  Then again, to borrow a bit from "Big Bang Theory", maybe it should just be changed to "Who Cares?" considering how long its been since there's been a new one, or a good one.

OK, I'm just rambling now. Bye!

[jimbogumbo]

Epstein actually wrote "that a wise man once said you shouldn't call yourself 'Doctor' unless you've delivered a baby", which doesn't actually sound that wise to moi.

[Caracal]

random thoughts:

If she ever want to run for president, she needs to drop the 'Dr.' right now. It's a liability. Maybe if voters distrust a woman for being too educated it will mean women have parity.

She doesn't have any interest in running for office. I think that's actually part of why she does want to use the title. It is a way of staking out an identity and qualifications separate from her husband. "I'm married to this guy who is going to be president, but that isn't my full time job" is the message.

[Parasaurolophus]

I actually thought she was a physician until recently, when I discovered she's a community college instructor.

The public use of the title is a bit meh, and it seems a bit meh for someone with an EdD. But it's not a hill I'm interested in dying on. It doesn't matter, and at least it's not an honorary degree.

[Hibush]

Epstein actually wrote "that a wise man once said you shouldn't call yourself 'Doctor' unless you've delivered a baby", which doesn't actually sound that wise to moi.

Do you consider citing "a wise man once said" as an attribution violation in grading?  I think the phrase is understood to mean "I saw a bumper sticker that said..."

[Sun_Worshiper]

The author made a jackass of himself up and down the article. Here's a quote that I found especially cringe-inducing:

"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."


Apparently a degree from a public university is a touch comic, as is helping community college students.

[Ruralguy]

Yeah, that "wise" quote sounds like something someone would have said on an episode of "The Virginian" or "Bonanza" 50 years ago (which harkened back to an even earlier era).
Very few MD docs these days have much to do with birthin' babies. They might have done something like this on rotation in med school, but that's about it for most of them.

[pgher]

Several decades ago there was controversy in NYC area because a prominent  on-air weatherman called himself "Dr." and he was a medical doctor, not a meteorologist.  He dropped the "Doc" and was close to retirement anyway.

And yet Mike Emrick was known as "Doc" throughout his hockey broadcasting career, on the basis of a PhD in communications from Bowling Green: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Emrick.

[Ruralguy]

Its all a bit of a sexist tempest in a teapot.