Joseph Epstein Says Jill Biden Should Drop ‘Dr.’ From Title, Northwestern University Distances Itself From Him

Northwestern University has distanced itself from former lecturer Joseph Epstein after he called on incoming First Lady Jill Biden is drop using “Dr.” in front of her name because she has a doctorate in education, not an MD.

In a statement the school released on Saturday, they stated that they disagree with the “misogynistic views” of Epstein. The former professor wrote a Wall Street Journal op-ed, published Friday, that called for the former second lady to drop “Dr.” because it “sounds and feels fraudulent, not to say a touch comic.”

“A bit of advice on what may seem like a small but I think is a not unimportant matter,” Epstein wrote. “Any chance you might drop ‘Dr.’ before your name?”

“While we firmly support academic freedom and freedom of expression, we do not agree with Mr Epstein’s opinion and believe that designation of doctor is well deserved by anyone who has earned a Ph.D, and Ed. D, or an M.D.,” the university stated.

Epstein closed out his piece by writing, “As for your Ed. D, Madame First Lady, hard-earned though it may have been, please consider stowing it, at least in public, at least for now. Forget the small thrill of being Dr. Jill, and settle for the larger thrill for the next for years in the best public housing in the world as First Lady Jill Biden.”

Biden received her Ed. D in 2007 from the University of Delaware. She announced that she will continue to teach alongside with her First Lady duties.

Epstein received online backlash from his op-ed. Doug Emhoff, husband of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris tweeted that it “would never would have been written about a man.” Husband of former Democratic presidential Pete Buttigieg, Chasten Buttigieg also tweeted, “The author could’ve used fewer words to just say ‘ya know in my day we didn’t have to respect women’ .”