Staff Reports
Jill Biden has decided to hang up her chalk and retire from her teaching gig at Northern Virginia Community College after an impressive 40-year run. In a not-so-cryptic farewell during a virtual event filled with educators, the First Lady revealed that she just taught her last class, since apparently, teaching becomes a bit cumbersome when you’re also navigating life in the White House.
In what some are likely interpreting as a heartfelt message, she claimed that being First Lady was the honor of her life, while teaching was the “work of her life.” This shows just how dedicated she was to her profession — when you’re not busy being the First Lady, you’re busy helping students grapple with English and writing. One might wonder which profession has been more hectic given recent headlines coming from the Biden administration.
Jill Biden says she has taught her ‘final class’ at Northern Virginia Community Collegehttps://t.co/aelnvYQUzd pic.twitter.com/4aybqDlxTh
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) December 17, 2024
Jill Biden has taken a victory lap of sorts since she was one of the few First Ladies to continue a professional career outside the White House. While she proudly claims to have loved teaching, it’s worth noting that her exit comes at a time when her husband, Joe Biden, is preparing to depart the presidency after an ill-fated re-election bid. Following disastrous debate performances against Donald Trump, the Bidens might be better off spending more time on their Delaware porch than in the political spotlight.
Interestingly, the timing of her retirement raises eyebrows. One wonders if the looming exit from the White House has anything to do with her decision to leave the classroom—perhaps the teaching schedule just didn’t align with those strategic calls with Democrat party strategists. One can only imagine that she’ll have all sorts of free time to reflect on her teaching philosophy while considering what went wrong on the political front.
Jill Biden began her tenure at Northern Virginia Community College about the same time her husband stepped into the vice presidency under Barack Obama. Now, as she hangs up her teaching gloves, some might think it ironic that her “who I am” mantra about teaching has taken a backseat to the tumultuous world of politics. With the possibility of the Trump administration making a triumphant return, it’s safe to say that “beyond the classroom” is where the real lessons might begin for Jill. There’s a whole lot to learn on how the winds of political fortune can shift—perhaps she and her husband can pick up some pointers from their successor in office, Donald Trump.
