Jill Biden: Not Educated on School Vouchers
At an event hosted yesterday by the Department of Education, Second Lady Dr. Jill Biden admitted that she knew little about the D.C. School Choice Program, perhaps the highest-profile issue in local Washington, D.C. politics.
Dr. Biden has a Ph.D in Education, has spent nearly fifteen years teaching in high schools, and currently works as an educator at a Washington-area community college. She’s lived in Washington, D.C. for over a year, over which the future of school choice has been threatened by congressional Democrats hoping to phase the program out. During her residence in D.C., the school choice issue has been the most visible issue in local politics.
Furthermore, as evidenced by her attendance at the Department of Education’s event and her inclusion on the White House’s website, she has been acting as an informal advocate for the Obama administration on educational issues.
In the video below, taken by the Washington News Observer during an event on educational policy, Biden is on stage with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Senator Jack Reed (D-RI).
When she was asked what she thought about the cuts to the D.C. School Choice Program. She replied: “I really haven’t followed it. I’ve been really busy teaching at Northern Virginia Community College.”
Advocates of school choice were quick to criticize Biden’s lack of attention to a critical issue.
"That’s funny. Maybe she hasn’t heard about the Salahis crashing the White House either,” joked Jeanne Allen, President of the Center for Education Reform.
“Perhaps [this] explains in part why this Administration has ignored the cries of children in their new city of residence who most need their help at this critical time in their young lives,” Allen continued. “And ironically, this is a program that then Senator Joe Biden once supported. I would hope, that having heard about it now (or been reminded), Mrs. Biden might be moved to do something about the D.C. OSP program."
“I’m surprised she hasn’t heard of it... and that’s unfortunate. One would think, though, that if you are involved in education and care about the kids in the city you would know about and support this program,” said Kevin Chavous, a former D.C. Council Member and Chair of the Council’s Education Committee.
“What’s even more unacceptable than her not knowing about the program is that this administration has deliberately chosen not to reauthorize the program,” continued Chavous.
According to the White House, Dr. Biden “continues to work to raise awareness on education”. Maybe she should take a look at the critical issues in her own neighborhood before doing any more of that.