Dr. Biden Goes to Work
There's been a lot of debate about Michelle Obama's decision to spend her time in the White House as mom-in-chief instead of returning to professional life or taking on a prominent portfolio in her husband's administration. But I haven't seen much mention of the fact that Jill Biden went back to work yesterday. The longtime educator will be teaching two English courses this semester at Northern Virginia Community College.
Of course, the pressure has always been lower for the wife of the vice president ("Second Lady," the official title, just sounds like a consolation prize). Tipper Gore had a few causes she championed, including mental health parity, but was mostly free to do her own thing, whether it was raising the Gore kids or pursuing her photography. Lynne Cheney may well have been in an undisclosed location for the past eight years, for all we heard from her.
Still, I hope Jill Biden, who has made no secret of the fact that she dislikes the spotlight, doesn't spend the next four years in a bunker. It's made me smile when I've heard her addressed as "Dr. Biden" at official events--those who worry about having good role models in the White House for young girls have to like that as well. Even more, she has a bully pulpit of her own now to advocate for an issue she cares about: community colleges.
You'll notice Dr. Biden isn't teaching at Georgetown or American University, but at Northern Virginia Community College. Her dissertation for the doctorate she earned in 2007 was on retaining students in community colleges. Already, 43% of college freshmen begin their education at two-year schools, and with the economy driving up tuition rates and making it harder for families to afford college, that percentage will rise. A few years ago, The Washington Monthly ran the first-ever ranking of the best community colleges, along with an argument for making them a more central piece of education policy. It's an issue that is more relevant now than ever, and Dr. Biden could play a leading role in focusing attention and developing policy. When she's finished grading papers, that is.
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1
Teaching at Northern Virginia Community College is the same thing as being in a "bunker"? This will probably come as a surprise to her students and colleagues.
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2
I for one could absolutely get behind this. Community colleges don't get nearly the attention they deserve. At the outset when students are likely to need the most personal attention they ate s tuck in lecture halls with three hundred other students but if they go to community colleges to take those core classes there might be 15 in a class -- who do you think is getting the better education?
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I hope Dr. Biden takes son the cause she'll have plenty of supporters I'm sure -
3
oops that's on not son. BTW Amy why the dig at Northern VA at the same time you are trying to convince her to take up the cause of community colleges. The bunker reference is a bit much.
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4
Remember the flogging Hilary took when she tried to be openly active in her husbands administration? Good for Jill in breaking out of the mold. Though I wonder how her security detail will manage the logistics.
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5
Gore had a few causes she championed....
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Almost to the point of turning me into a Republican.
I'm a bit of a Free Speech purist and I considered the PMRC an abomination. -
6
Yes, yes, yes. Over 80% of US college students attend state or county/community colleges. They operate with the bare minimum of resources but many perform very well. Help them please!
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Also, it doesn't seem like there's *actually* a debate about what Michelle Obama should do with her time, and it would be creepy if there was. -
7
They are cutting the higher education budget in WA which really hurts the community colleges. (UW at least can find research grants.)
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This at a time when more people need to go back to school to acquire new job skills.
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Community colleges aren't just for 18-year-olds who can't afford a 4-year university. They are also important for returning and non-traditional students, immigrants, working parents, etc. -
8
I could be wrong but I thought "bunker" was a reference to Cheney, not to Northern VA.
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9
Huh, I didn't realize that Tipper Gore was a photographer. So, of the most prominent Second Lady photographers of the past 40 years, who's more rock 'n' roll? Tipper Gore, or Linda McCartney?
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10
Art Pepper - "Still, I hope Jill Biden, who has made no secret of the fact that she dislikes the spotlight, doesn't spend the next four years in a bunker." You could be right, but it seems a little premature to hope that Jill Biden doesn't do something she's shown no inclination to do.
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11
It might also be good to mention that the universities in the Washington DC area were clamoring for her to teach at one of their campuses and she still chose to teach at a community college.
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As a returning student (in the 80's) with 2 small children, I can safely say there is no way I would have made it through my engineering studies without the support and encouragement and personalized classwork that I found at a community college. It's also a good place (for students like me) that barely made it through high school and graduated by the skin of our teeth. Those schools provide a lifeline to many, many people who want to improve our life. Now if we can get those Pell grants brought back to pre-Bush levels... -
12
Amy: FYI
A few years ago ('03, '04 '05 ??) Lynee Cheney delivered the Dedication Day ( Nov. 19th commemorating Lincoln's address) speech at the Gettysburg National Cemetary. Her speech was scholarly, as I recall, and non-political.
just thought you should know.
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13
So when MSNBC (8pm/9pm), began calling Joe Biden, "DR. Biden" following the election, they were really talking about the wife?
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