At the mention of the Duggar family, one thing typically comes to mind; lots of kids. Known for their Christian faith and Baptist belief that family planning is wrong, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, the heads of the Duggar family, believe they ought to have as many children as God wants them to. In this article, we will see about ‘Did Any Of The Duggar Go To College?’.
Did Any Of The Duggar Go To College?
Hence, the couple has over nineteen children, the eldest being Joshua Duggar and the last, Josie Brooklyn Duggar, not counting the recently adopted Tyler. With such a large family, one may wonder how the Duggar kids were cared for and if any of them attended college.
Like their parents, none of the Duggar kids attended college. Instead, they were all home-schooled. Joseph Duggar, the only child to step foot in a traditional college, attended Crown Bible College, although he dropped out after a year and never graduated.
Going to School As A Duggar Kid
When it comes to the Duggar family, you probably have questions like, how were the parents able to send all nineteen kids from elementary school to college and still have enough to cater to their daily needs of food, clothes, and shelter?
The answer is homeschooling.
Although neither Jim Bob nor Mitchell was home-schooled as youngsters, Jim Bob stated that they took the inspiration to home-school their kids from the verse of the Bible that encourages parents to train up their kids.
Here is what the father of nineteen said in one of their shows with The Learning Channel (TLC):
“Bible says to train up your kids when you get up in the morning, when you sit down, walk by the way, and when you go to bed at night…and we felt like to fulfill that command, we wanted to home-school our children.”
To ensure their homeschooling system was effective, the Duggar parents mandated their kids in elementary school to take standardized tests in a testing center.
Those done with high school were also encouraged to take the General Educational Development (GED).
After high school, some of the Duggar kids went ahead to take online college courses via CollegePlus, a Christian schooling system.
Their Educational Curriculum
Despite never being within the four walls of a traditional classroom, the Duggar kids cannot be accused of being uneducated.
This is because Mitchell, who was then a stay-at-home mom doubling as the full-time teacher of the kids, did her best to ensure the children were well-versed in crucial subjects like Math, Reading, Writing, etc.
Speaking in an interview on the curriculum she used and her classroom approach, Mitchell stated that she followed lesson plans of the Accelerated Christian Education (A.C.E) to ensure that her teaching syllabus is Christian- based.
Rise to Fame
Jim Bob Duggar and Mitchell Ruark, born on July 18, 1965, and September 13, 1966, respectively, got married on July 21, 1984, shortly after celebrating Jim Bob’s 19th birthday and after Mitchell graduated from high school.
Although a successful real estate agent, Jim Bob was interested in politics. He had served as an Arkansas State legislator for two terms and decided to run for the United States Senate in 2002.
Although he lost the election, the supersized family was photographed at the polls by the New York Times, and their pictures began circulating.
Soon, articles about the family were in magazines like the Parents Magazine and the Ladies’ Home Journal.
The Duggar made their first Tv Debut in 2004 when they appeared on the show – 14 Children and Pregnant Again, which aired in September on the Discovery Health Channel.
In 2008, the family had a reality show on TLC. This show depicted the day-to-day living of the Duggar family, their Christian faith, Joshua Duggar’s marriage, etc.
As time went on, with each addition of a new child to the Duggar the show was renamed;
- 17 Kids and Counting
- 18 Kids and Counting
- 19 Kids and Counting
However, in 2015 the show was canceled following some allegations against Joshua Duggar bordering on sexual misconduct.
But, it was not long before the Duggar appeared on another show titled Counting On, which centered on the lives of Jesse and Jill Duggar as they became independent from the family.
However, this show too was canceled in June 2021, after Joshua Duggar allegedly possessed child sexual abuse materials.
Conclusion
Deciding they were capable enough to educate their kids, Jim Bob and Michelle decided to home-school all nineteen children.
From elementary class to high school and even college, none of the Duggar kids ever attended a traditional school.
Despite this, the kids appear to lead accomplished lives with their spouses and children, proving that formal education is not the only way to success.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Did the Duggar kids watch Television?
Yes, but it was restricted.
2. How many are the Duggar Kids now?
Counting Tyler, the Duggar kids are currently twenty in number.
