'What, no drag queen story hour?' Jill Biden trolled after claiming Trump would 'destroy' public education if re-elected

Jill Biden insisted that the future of public education in America would remain promising if her husband, President Joe Biden wins in November
UPDATED MAY 19, 2024
Jill Biden said that a return to Donald Trump’s leadership would result in 'chaos and division' during a speech on Saturday, May 18 (Getty Images)
Jill Biden said that a return to Donald Trump’s leadership would result in 'chaos and division' during a speech on Saturday, May 18 (Getty Images)

MANHATTAN, NEW YORK: First Lady Jill Biden passionately defended her husband’s commitment to public education during a speech on Saturday, May 18, at the United Federation of Teachers' annual spring conference.

Addressing a crowd of 1,200, Biden insisted that the future of public education in America would remain promising if President Joe Biden is re-elected, while a return to Donald Trump’s leadership would result in “chaos and division.”

Jill Biden criticizes Donald Trump

“I always believed that Joe would be the best education president,” Jill Biden, 72, proclaimed.

The first lady, who holds a PhD in education, criticized former President Trump, asserting that he “wakes up every morning caring about one person — and one person only — himself.” Her remarks elicited boos at the mention of Trump, the presumptive Republican frontrunner.

“Donald Trump doesn’t want to strengthen our public education system — he wants to destroy it,” she continued.

“If Donald Trump is re-elected, we get chaos and division,” she claimed. “A world in which public schools are privatized and their funding is gutted, teachers unions are marginalized and lesson plans are censored and books are banned. In America, we don’t ban books.”

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE - SEPTEMBER 01: Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Democratic presidential candidate forme
Dr Jill Biden, wife of Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden, gestures during a visit at Evan G Shortlidge Academy on September 1, 2020 (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

The event also saw the attendance of prominent figures like Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and UFT President Michael Mulgrew. Biden’s appearance was part of a broader campaign effort to rally support for her husband’s re-election bid, particularly among key Democratic constituencies such as teachers’ unions.

Jill Biden’s address in Manhattan came just days before Trump’s scheduled rally in the South Bronx on May 23. This event marks Trump’s first rally in his birth state since 2016, following a successful campaign event at the Jersey Shore. Trump’s re-emergence in New York signals his intent to reclaim the political stage and galvanize his base as he gears up for the 2024 election.

The first lady’s recent campaign activities included stops in Detroit and other parts of Michigan, another crucial battleground state, the New York Post reported.

First Lady faces backlash on social media

However, her remarks about Trump drew significant backlash on social media. Critics accused her of politicizing education and misrepresenting the state of public schools under her husband’s administration.

One social media user sarcastically quipped on X, “What no Drag queen story hour?”

Another lamented, “Public education has been destroyed by her husband. It’s nothing but a captive audience for sick-minded people who want to hurt children.”

"Her husband’s White House coordinated with the department of education to keep schools closed. Some children committed suicide and others lost two years of learning," someone else lamented.

"Fake doctor says what?" a comment read

"Why is Jill Biden trying so hard to get me to like Trump??" another asked.



 



 



 



 

Celebrating educators

Earlier in the month, President Biden made a surprise appearance at the first lady’s Teachers of the Year State Dinner at the White House. The event celebrated top educators and leaders from teachers’ unions. Though not on his public schedule, Biden joined the gathering after a day trip to North Carolina, humorously introducing himself as “Jill Biden’s husband.”

The first lady’s speech at the dinner highlighted the integral role of teachers and their unions in shaping the nation’s education system. She acknowledged the contributions of union leaders like Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, and Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, both of whom received applause from the attendees.



 

“We celebrate you because teaching isn’t just a job, it’s a calling, and all of you are called to this profession for a reason,” Jill Biden told the educators. “You believe that a better world is possible. And you make that world real.” She also reinforced the importance of union support in achieving educational goals, again calling her husband the “best education president.”

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online. 

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