Northwestern University strongly rejected an opinion piece published in the Wall Street Journal, written by former lecturer Joseph Epstein, in which he called for incoming First Lady Dr. Jill Biden to drop the Dr. from the front of her name because she is not a medical doctor.
“Joseph Epstein has not been a lecturer at Northwestern since 2003. While we firmly support academic freedom and freedom of expression, we do not agree with Mr. Epstein’s opinion and believe the designation of doctor is well deserved by anyone who has earned a Ph.D., an Ed.D. or an M.D.,” Northwestern University said in statement.
“Northwestern is firmly committed to equity, diversity and inclusion, and strongly disagrees with Mr. Epstein’s misogynistic views,” the university added.
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The school’s English Department also condemned Epstein’s essay writing: “The Department is aware that a former adjunct lecturer who has not taught here in nearly 20 years has published an opinion piece that casts unmerited aspersion on Dr. Jill Biden’s rightful public claiming of her doctoral credentials and expertise. The Department rejects this opinion as well as the diminishment of anyone’s duly-earned degrees in any field, from any university.”
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In the op-ed, Epstein argued that it sounds “and feels fraudulent not to say a touch comic” for Dr. Biden to be referred to as Dr.
“A wise man once said that no one should call himself ‘Dr.’ unless he has delivered a child …. Think about it, Dr. Jill, and forthwith drop the doc,” Epstein wrote.
