Sweet Fellowship: Duggars and Friends (aka the Bates Family and Other Featured Families Thread)

[Churchhoney]

Sew Sumi,

i was wondering if these Gothard kids think the lawsuit is just "some bad heathens saying bad things about such a Godly man. Satan is attacking"

 

 

Well, this is certainly the way the Gothard adult followers have been treating those young women for decades now. (and continue to treat them) And considering that Chad's father has probably been a major part of that whole effort to squash these minions of Satan who are trying to bring down such a godly man, it's hard to believe that his own kids, at least, haven't picked up this approach. This is a pretty father-following cult, after all. And they also don't allow for the infiltration of much external information, which is what could show them another view.

 

I would think that any kid who had actually adopted a different view would have gone pretty far away from their parents by now, and not really been quiet about that fact. .... The Bateses all have a tv contract to protect, and Erin probably wants cd sales, after all. Wouldn't surprise me a bit if this is all lying bullshit to protect their entertainment earnings.

 

"Mr. Gothard," she says. Her post sounds very much like careful dancing around the truth to me. I don't recall hearing anybody repudiate Gothard up to now, just because they started attending different churches than their parents. Gothard, after all, is not a church and never has been. It's a "Christian" cult that operates outside of churches and that brought in people from many churches of many different kinds over the years. There has never been any obvious contradiction between believing in Gothard and Gothardism and going to a church that didn't have tons of Gothardites.

Edited February 19, 2016 by Churchhoney

[Barb23]

Both of their fathers are still on the Board of Directors for IBLP:

http://iblp.org/about-iblp/corporate-information/board-directors

I think Gil's info needs to be updated. They still reference "United Bates of America" instead of "Up with Bates." I'm sure Gil doesn't want any reference to "the Jim Bob Duggar family."

Why is it a big thing for these people to have to mention "reversal babies"? (Pastor York's info.) Same thing with the Maxwells. Is it supposed to make them more of a Man of the Lord™ if they've gotten their vasectomies reversed & then had children? Once again, why do we need to know?

[Aja]

Well, this is certainly the way the Gothard adult followers have been treating those young women for decades now. (and continue to treat them) And considering that Chad's father has probably been a major part of that whole effort to squash these minions of Satan who are trying to bring down such a godly man, it's hard to believe that his own kids, at least, haven't picked up this approach. This is a pretty father-following cult, after all. And they also don't allow for the infiltration of much external information, which is what could show them another view.

 

I would think that any kid who had actually adopted a different view would have gone pretty far away from their parents by now, and not really been quiet about that fact. .... The Bateses all have a tv contract to protect, and Erin probably wants cd sales, after all. Wouldn't surprise me a bit if this is all lying bullshit to protect their entertainment earnings.

 

"Mr. Gothard," she says. Her post sounds very much like careful dancing around the truth to me. I don't recall hearing anybody repudiate Gothard up to now, just because they started attending different churches than their parents. Gothard, after all, is not a church and never has been. It's a "Christian" cult that operates outside of churches and that brought in people from many churches of many different kinds over the years. There has never been any obvious contradiction between believing in Gothard and Gothardism and going to a church that didn't have tons of Gothardites.

THIS AND THIS AND THIS AND THIS. I want people to see this. I want ERIN to see this. Also, I have no doubt that Erin's "no current affiliation" with Gothard is a super-recent development. *wink*

 

ETA I'm glad to see there are plenty of comments on that instagram post calling them out for having a frickin' CAKE for no-affiliation Bill Gothard at their wedding.

Edited February 19, 2016 by Aja

[JoanArc]

THIS AND THIS AND THIS AND THIS. I want people to see this. I want ERIN to see this. Also, I have no doubt that Erin's "no current affiliation" with Gothard is a super-recent development. *wink*

 

ETA I'm glad to see there are plenty of comments on that instagram post calling them out for having a frickin' CAKE for no-affiliation Bill Gothard at their wedding.

I just changed my icon.

 

[Aja]

I just changed my icon.

JoanArc (or a non-blocked Instagrammer), please please please post that picture in the comments section of Chad's "no affiliation" post.

[JoanArc]

JoanArc (or a non-blocked Instagrammer), please please please post that picture in the comments section of Chad's "no affiliation" post.

I don't have Instagram, sorry. http://defamer.gawker.com/the-bates-family-is-cable-tvs-new-duggars-and-theyre-ju-1706997724

This article has the picture, and it's the first thing to come up in google under "Bill Gothard Cake'.

 

Plus there's this one too:

 

Edited February 19, 2016 by JoanArc

[STFUFrank]

JoanArc (or a non-blocked Instagrammer), please please please post that picture in the comments section of Chad's "no affiliation" post.

There isn't a way to post picture comments on IG unless it's by way of a private/direct message but not in the open comments.

[Aja]

There isn't a way to post picture comments on IG unless it's by way of a private/direct message but not in the open comments.

Ah. Thanks for clarifying. That's too bad, though. Dern.

[Defrauder]

Let's not forget Bill's brother David apparently charged with a racketeering scheme Bill tried to cover up:

 

http://homeschoolersanonymous.org/

 

 

They also have another brother, Steve, who found himself in some trouble with accusations.  I guess it funs in the family.  I meant to say runs in the family.

[Zahdii]

Gothard's cake is bigger than any cake of any of my or my siblings wedding cakes.  Of course we only invited people we knew to share in our wedding days.

[Aja]

Gothard's cake is bigger than any cake of any of my or my siblings wedding cakes.  Of course we only invited people we knew to share in our wedding days.

Yes, on the day of my ill-fated marriage, we only invited people/made cakes for people we were affiliated with and supported.

[Sew Sumi]

My "cake" was two tiers of Italian cream puffs, two per person (we had about 50 CLOSE FRIENDS AND FAMILY). This may sound chincy, but we also served a full picnic-style lunch that we ate in the lower story of my parent's home, including the backyard. It was an unusally hot summer day, so it wasn't we had people freezing in a parking lot, or sweltering with melted root beer floats with nowhere to sit and eat them. 

 

Back to Erin's statement for a second, there is no way that couple could leave IBLP. They may homeschool with ABkeka, but Kelly already does that, so it's not frowned upon to eschew the Wisdom Booklets. Or she uses them for the younger kids but won't admit it publicly because she's fully aware that people now know how damaging they are. But anyway, them leaving IBLP would be like Alyssa and John (the Congressman's son) voting for Bernie. Not gonna happen. 

Edited February 19, 2016 by Sew Sumi

[riverblue22]

So the Bates use a different home schooling system than the Duggars?  The Bates kids do seem better educated from what I have seen.

[Sew Sumi]

I  don't know how ABeka compares to Switched on Schoolhouse. I've heard mixed reviews about the former, and since the Duggars are the only family I know of using the latter, it's rather hard to evaluate, aside from looking at its "graduates" (I'd guess Joseph - maybe Jinger? -  down to Joy or the boy twins). I don't know what they used with the older kids before they went online. Did they learn math by using the Wisdom Booklets, counting loaves and fishes? It  would explain a lot. 

[Sew Sumi]

Erin firmly responds, in a grammaticlly incorrect sentence,  that she and Chad are no longer part of IBLP. How long until she's wearing pants like Alyssa? 

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BB-vKs1g4oU/?taken-by=freejinger

 

I guess this means that they won't show up at Big Sandy or the TN homeschool conferences then? We shall see, I guess. At any rate, this is a huge gamechanger given the positions of their fathers. By way of contrast, all of the Duggar married kids still go to Big Sandy, even Ben and Derick, who weren't raised in it. 

Edited February 19, 2016 by Sew Sumi

[Churchhoney]

Yes, on the day of my ill-fated marriage, we only invited people/made cakes for people we were affiliated with and supported.

 

Love this.

[Defrauder]

The Gothard birthday cake at the wedding.  A bird?, Piano and guitar. Oreos. Everyone is standing at least 10 feet away from the man of honor while Bill looks on in his manly high heeled shoes.  His cake 'Mr. Gothard'.  You're at our wedding, celebrating your birthday that we bought this cake for and you're 'Mr.'  Dare we call you Bill?  Does anyone call you Bill?  What about all of your um, girls, that you know, do they have to call you Mr. while you're um instructing them on all matters of purity? Or does everybody just wish they could distance themselves from you by standing as  far away as they can and calling you 'Mr.' like they don't really know you all that well? 

[yogi2014L]

I still cannot believe she is pregnant again! Or I mean I guess I can. But wow. If she waited til 2nd trimester to announce that didn't take long after Carson...

But at least she beat Jill Duggar! Aren't their kids like a month apart? 

 

Hope she has a safe pregnancy and then slows down. 

 

Bright side Alyssa looks like she is tiny as ever so I have hope for her to wait a while to get pg again. You go Alyssa!!!!

Edited February 19, 2016 by yogi2014L

[BitterApple]

I still cannot believe she is pregnant again! Or I mean I guess I can. But wow. If she waited til 2nd trimester to announce that didn't take long after Carson...

But at least she beat Jill Duggar! Aren't their kids like a month apart?

Hope she has a safe pregnancy and then slows down.

Bright side Alyssa looks like she is tiny as ever so I have hope for her to wait a while to get pg again. You go Alyssa!!!!

Carson would have been around 6 months when she conceived, so yeah, she didn't waste any time.

Alyssa does look great. The Bates girls seem to bounce back well from pregnancy, the Duggar girls, not so much.

[Marigold]

I  don't know how ABeka compares to Switched on Schoolhouse. I've heard mixed reviews about the former, and since the Duggars are the only family I know of using the latter, it's rather hard to evaluate, aside from looking at its "graduates" (I'd guess Joseph - maybe Jinger? -  down to Joy or the boy twins). I don't know what they used with the older kids before they went online. Did they learn math by using the Wisdom Booklets, counting loaves and fishes? It  would explain a lot.

I have used both programs.

Switched on Schoolhouse is very poor, in my opinion. It's the child on the computer doing things that are very basic and simple. (I hope no one reading this is using that for their child! I hesitated to even write that) The parent doesn't have to pay one ounce of attention. Just log in. It explains why Jessa "took over" the homeschooling. She was really just checking to make sure the work was completed. jessa wasn't teaching or doing anything academic.

A-Beka is a very Christian program but it is known to be good quality. The English and math are thorough. You can do the program online or the parent teaches. I am GUESSING Kelly teaches the kids.

There is NO comparison in my mind. None.

[Sew Sumi]

Thanks for your input, Marigold! Kelly certainly taught the old fashioned way before the house remodel. I think they now have a dedicated schoolroom with multiple computers like the Duggars have, or a school/playroom. I know I've seen a bank of computers in their remodeled home. That said, I remember one episode of Bringing up Bates that focused on education, and it showed Kelly going over a chemistry lesson with Carlin (couldn't have been Tori...I don't think they teach chem at Clown College). 

 

Does A-Beka cover sciences, or would the Bateses had to have gotten another program to augment?

[Churchhoney]

Thanks for your input, Marigold! Kelly certainly taught the old fashioned way before the house remodel. I think they now have a dedicated schoolroom with multiple computers like the Duggars have, or a school/playroom. I know I've seen a bank of computers in their remodeled home. That said, I remember one episode of Bringing up Bates that focused on education, and it showed Kelly going over a chemistry lesson with Carlin (couldn't have been Tori...I don't think they teach chem at Clown College). 

 

Does A-Beka cover sciences, or would the Bateses had to have gotten another program to augment?

 

A-Beka has chemistry and other sciences. All "taught" so as not to "conflict" with anything biblical, of course. But with that as a caveat, I'd say they pretty much cover the full range of subject matter in all areas.

[Tabbygirl521]

When I look at Gothard, I am charmed anew by his shoe-polish-black coiffure.

[Sew Sumi]

Lawson's pants are on fire. Gil certainly DID know of the accusations against Gothard; he approved that bogus "Internal investigation"" by Gothard's handpicked lawyer when the scandal first broke last year. 

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BB_L7eqA4hH/?taken-by=freejinger

[GeeGolly]

Lawson's pants are on fire. Gil certainly DID know of the accusations against Gothard; he approved that bogus "Internal investigation"" by Gothard's handpicked lawyer when the scandal first broke last year. 

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BB_L7eqA4hH/?taken-by=freejinger

Holy wow. This has to be planned by the whole family. Have any of the adult Bates ever responded to posts before? Including ones questioning their beliefs? This is beyond bizarre. 

Edited February 20, 2016 by GeeGolly

[Sew Sumi]

Lawson separates Gothard from the organization. An organization, which his family (and him, since he's still living under his parents' authority), openly support. The best thing for that entire family would be for Gil to step down and get out of the cult entirely. 

 

edited to clean up some weird syntax

Edited February 20, 2016 by Sew Sumi

[yogi2014L]

I think one of the major advantages the Bates kids' had was that both Kelly and Gil are college educated and clearly value education enough to allow even their female children to go to any sort of higher ed outside the house

 

Me thinks Mechelle and Boob barely graduated by the skin of their teeth. Had MEchelle had a blessing right away she wouldn't have graduated at all. 

 

You can tell simply by listening to them speak that Boob and Mechelle stopped learning and maturing at 17. Gil and Kelly had more time to mature before getting suckered in to this nonsense but at least their kids have independent thought. 

[Arwen Evenstar]

The Gothard birthday cake at the wedding.  A bird?, Piano and guitar. Oreos. Everyone is standing at least 10 feet away from the man of honor while Bill looks on in his manly high heeled shoes.  His cake 'Mr. Gothard'.  You're at our wedding, celebrating your birthday that we bought this cake for and you're 'Mr.'  Dare we call you Bill?  Does anyone call you Bill?  What about all of your um, girls, that you know, do they have to call you Mr. while you're um instructing them on all matters of purity? Or does everybody just wish they could distance themselves from you by standing as  far away as they can and calling you 'Mr.' like they don't really know you all that well?

Notice the way Gothard is staring...looks like a freaking ferret (not meaning to disparage ferrets)....I think he's trying to zero in on some flip flop sightings...should be wiggly toes aplenty at a Fundie wedding. Maybe foot fetishists might be now crashing Fundy weddings...

They are still all part of ATI/IBLP only Gothard stepped down as the head of it...makes me ill how so many naive and innocent young ladies were exploited by that creepster.

[BitterApple]

So basically they're still following Gothard, because ATI/IBLP was created around his principles. They're just sidestepping around the obvious by saying they're not following Gothard the Man.

[Churchhoney]

So basically they're still following Gothard, because ATI/IBLP was created around his principles. They're just sidestepping around the obvious by saying they're not following Gothard the Man.

 

And you have to wonder how little or much any of the ATI/IBLP faithful are connected to "Gothard the man," when you see stuff like this Gothard-defense-against-lawsuit-allegations site that's obviously stuff with ATI/IBLP influentials who are concealing their names but are admittedly in close touch with BG and actively defending him. From the sound of this, I doubt that it's an isolated fringey ATI/IBLP group but more likely includes some central figures. They're pretending to be at arms' length from it all, but the amount of true-believerism they exhibit makes it clear that they're anything but.

 

http://www.discoveringgrace.com/about-2/

 

"Some of us who have followed Bill’s ministry and have been blessed by it have sought to help in resolving issues raised by these accusations.  We have spoken to Bill directly and have found an 80 year old man deeply humbled by all that has gone on leading to his separation from IBLP, the ministry he founded, eager to correct whatever he can.  He continues to emphatically deny any criminal or moral failures.

"Some of us have independently participated in the Recovering Grace blog, gathering facts and seeking to provide balancing information, correcting errors we were aware of. “Discovering Grace” came about after a number of us were separately banned from commenting on the site and subsequently found each other.

It is our wish to do our part in providing support to Bill and his ministry, giving honor to whom honor is due. As a group we remain in active communication with Bill as we seek to deal righteously with issues that are presented to us. A number of us have sat with him on a number of occasions and asked questions that needed to be answered. We have seen him assume full responsibility for issues that we knew had substance and troubled us. We have sought to facilitate the reconciliation process between him and others and will continue to do so.

"We are theologians, housewives, retired folk, IT and business professionals. We do not report to Bill and it is certain that he will not be happy with all of what we deal with here. We continue to solicit review and comment privately by those who consider themselves adversaries. Ultimately the goal is to glorify the name of Jesus and see His purposes for His Kingdom and church furthered."

[Sew Sumi]

Yeah, Alfred over at Discovering Grace is delusional. He used to mix it up with the Recovering Grace people on a regular basis, but I don't know if he's doing that any longer (or if RG banned him). 

 

At any rate, I heard that he posted something after the final amended allegations were and asked, "That's all they have?" and that these claims were basically nothing compared to all the "good" he did to so many more people. I reserve my right to argue this last point. :D

Edited February 20, 2016 by Sew Sumi

[Marigold]

A-Beka has chemistry and other sciences. All "taught" so as not to "conflict" with anything biblical, of course. But with that as a caveat, I'd say they pretty much cover the full range of subject matter in all areas.

A-Beka is a complete curriculum. The science is Christian based but it's a competative science program. It's Christian/Creation based but that is a small part of science anyway.

A-beka is designed to be college prep.

I have used it and still use it for some subjects. My older kids are in high school and college. I actually used it as a child and had no problem transitioning into the public school, in fact, I was ahead in all subjects.

Switched on Schoolhouse is not a good program. Again, sorry if anyone here uses it but it's too much computer time. It covers all the subjects but in my opinion, it is just the basics of the subjects. I was unahppy and we stopped using it in a few weeks.Not impressed that a public homeschooling family is using that for their curriculum. I cringe when I see those episodes because that is not how homeschooling looks for many of us.

[MunichNark]

I'm disgusted that Erin is pregnant again. Horrified actually. How can she be that stupid and put herself in danger? Use some bloody contraception girl!

 

Fascinating posts - so they are now doing major damage control. How sad that people get so hung up on their supposed fame that they can't let go. And bollocks to the denials, they were certainly a part of it. Having said that, those kids aren't to blame after all.

 

I find that I reall can't stand Lawson Bates anymore. Too smug, too trying to hard to be a country singer, too......well, just too.

[Sew Sumi]

I'll go farther: he's a smug asshole who is as quick with the banhammer as Jessa Seewald. 

[Defrauder]

When I look at Gothard, I am charmed anew by his shoe-polish-black coiffure.

'charmed anew'.  lol. A charming chap if there ever was one. He's like dracula and the fly mixed into one.

[Churchhoney]

"Mr. Gothard" will never admit to his perversions.

 

Exactly. And I expect that most of those who refer to him as "Mr. Gothard" -- I'm looking at you, Erin Bates Paine -- will never admit to them either. Some will, certainly, but among people who are so indoctrinated and who have stuck with him this long, after all that's come out over the years -- most are lifers, I expect. That's just the way cults of personality work, always.

[Churchhoney]

A-Beka is a complete curriculum. The science is Christian based but it's a competative science program. It's Christian/Creation based but that is a small part of science anyway.

A-beka is designed to be college prep.

 

 

Just to clarify, I completely agree with what you say about A-Beka's intent and its general high quality and completeness.

 

We do have a deep disagreement about science, however. I consider evolution and its cosmic counterparts to be the central conceptual core of all 21st century science, both biological and physical. So i consider any curriculum that doesn't incorporate evolution in that way to be dead wrong in its essentials and general principles although it can be correct and good in many of its details -- which is how I would describe A-Beka science.

 

Not that A-Beka is alone in this. Studies show that even most American public school textbooks and science teachers don't recognize or stress evolution as a core scientific principle. So. as you say, A-Beka -- which I agree is very well done in many ways-- can provide even a science education that's just as good as you can get in most public schools.  (Needless to say, it wouldn't if a Duggar were "teaching" it, but I can't even imagine a Duggar using such an intellectual approach.)

[Arwen Evenstar]

'charmed anew'. lol. A charming chap if there ever was one. He's like dracula and the fly mixed into one.

Instead of a ferret, maybe I'll say Gothard reminds me more of an eel! In particular the Grimch song..."as charming as an eel". No offense meantto the delicious sushi preparation, Unagi!

Edited February 20, 2016 by Arwen Evenstar

[Defrauder]

Instead of a ferret, maybe I'll say Gothard reminds me more of an eel! In particular the Grimch song..."as charming as an eel". No offense meantto the delicious sushi preparation, Unagi!

No offense to Seaworld Spurgeon either.

[Arwen Evenstar]

LOL, Defrauder!

[Arwen Evenstar]

You know ,now that there's a Bates blessing on the way, I did notice that Prissy and TFDW have been oddly quiet...since they now have two blessings, it seems like it would be time soon to hear about another one. I'm still waiting for him to come out of the closet...bless his little pecan thieving heart.

[Barb23]

Carson would have been around 6 months when she conceived, so yeah, she didn't waste any time.

Alyssa does look great. The Bates girls seem to bounce back well from pregnancy, the Duggar girls, not so much.

I think part of reason Bates girls bounce back well is that they had normal prenatal care & delivered at a hospital with medical personnel in full attendance. It still boggles my mind that Jessa used Jill for her prenatal care (if that is true, which we think is.)

[Marigold]

Just to clarify, I completely agree with what you say about A-Beka's intent and its general high quality and completeness.

 

We do have a deep disagreement about science, however. I consider evolution and its cosmic counterparts to be the central conceptual core of all 21st century science, both biological and physical. So i consider any curriculum that doesn't incorporate evolution in that way to be dead wrong in its essentials and general principles although it can be correct and good in many of its details -- which is how I would describe A-Beka science.

 

Not that A-Beka is alone in this. Studies show that even most American public school textbooks and science teachers don't recognize or stress evolution as a core scientific principle. So. as you say, A-Beka -- which I agree is very well done in many ways-- can provide even a science education that's just as good as you can get in most public schools.  (Needless to say, it wouldn't if a Duggar were "teaching" it, but I can't even imagine a Duggar using such an intellectual approach.)

I knew you were going to say that!

I used it in school, went to college, took a lot of science classes and did fine. Both my sons are doing Ok with a background of A-Beka, Apologia science and living books. No major issues. For me, it's one part of science and we move on.

Too bad the Duggrs don't do A-Beka online instead of that Switched on Schoolhouse. (eye roll) Kelly definitely has made better educational decisions than Michelle. A-Beka can even enroll kids in some online charter school thing that I know very little about. They have the money. Enroll the kids and be done with it, Michelle! Switched on Schoolhouse is much, much cheaper.

[Arwen Evenstar]

I knew you were going to say that!I used it in school, went to college, took a lot of science classes and did fine. Both my sons are doing Ok with a background of A-Beka, Apologia science and living books. No major issues. For me, it's one part of science and we move on.Too bad the Duggrs don't do A-Beka online instead of that Switched on Schoolhouse. (eye roll) Kelly definitely has made better educational decisions than Michelle. A-Beka can even enroll kids in some online charter school thing that I know very little about. They have the money. Enroll the kids and be done with it, Michelle! Switched on Schoolhouse is much, much cheaper.

I went to a private school that used the abeka books for some of their classes. Their math books are excellent and were used up until 8th grade. Then other mainstream publishers were used. I will say their math and English grammar books prepared one well for algebra and further advanced mathematics and actually writing English papers and reports. Evolution was left out but as Marigold or Churchie said earlier...it's not a major part of science as there's plenty of other useful stuff to learn anyway...or if they do teach anything about it, they present it as a theory rather than a fact....I think they realized most of us would attend a secular college but we could make up our own minds about it...

[Churchhoney]

I knew you were going to say that!

I used it in school, went to college, took a lot of science classes and did fine. Both my sons are doing Ok with a background of A-Beka, Apologia science and living books. No major issues. For me, it's one part of science and we move on.

Too bad the Duggrs don't do A-Beka online instead of that Switched on Schoolhouse. (eye roll) Kelly definitely has made better educational decisions than Michelle. A-Beka can even enroll kids in some online charter school thing that I know very little about. They have the money. Enroll the kids and be done with it, Michelle! Switched on Schoolhouse is much, much cheaper.

 

It is too bad for the Duggar kids that they don't get that kind of solid education. But I guess cheapness and a real lack of respect for knowledge wins out there, don't you? I also wonder whether MEchelle and JB might not feel intimidated by any program that contains knowledge that they don't have. It's a matter of values, I would guess, but maybe also a matter -- as are so many things -- of their insecurity, I guess.

[Arwen Evenstar]

It is too bad for the Duggar kids that they don't get that kind of solid education. But I guess cheapness and a real lack of respect for knowledge wins out there, don't you? I also wonder whether MEchelle and JB might not feel intimidated by any program that contains knowledge that they don't have. It's a matter of values, I would guess, but maybe also a matter -- as are so many things -- of their insecurity, I guess.

Far easier to keep their brood ignorant and under their control. That way none of their kids could challenge the authority of their Supreme Patriarch by calling "Bullshit" on their teachings. By limiting their learnings, their ability to attempt to learn on their own and develop the critical thinking skills to challenge later in life this pap they've been fed has also been severely diminished.

.

[Sew Sumi]

I think they chose SOS out of sheer laziness. Hell, they even SHOWED us how Jessa checked the grades online and that the program was pretty much self-teaching. Could Mechelle even teach a science class beyond Creationism-based curriculum? Biology and chemistry weren't required courses when they were in high school if you didn't plan to go to college, and these two decided that they were getting married not long after they started dating. They might have taken biology, but JB's would have been Christian-based, having attended the Christian high school. Hell, I doubt either of them could even teach 8th grade ALGEBRA, let alone calculus. 

[Fuzzysox]

You know ,now that there's a Bates blessing on the way, I did notice that Prissy and TFDW have been oddly quiet...since they now have two blessings, it seems like it would be time soon to hear about another one. I'm still waiting for him to come out of the closet...bless his little pecan thieving heart.

Besides having that dump to rehab I would think they are worried about their future since Gothard's growth isn't wasn't what it used to be. Wouldn't you be afraid to bring another child into the world if you know your job might be ending?

[BitterApple]

Don't the Duggars just take the same tests over and over until they pass? Hell, if I trained my Mastiff to click a mouse, he could do the same thing. They probably aren't learning jack with the current program they're using.

[louannems]

http://davidlovespriscilla.com/category/family-updates/

Over on davidlovesprincilla, there are

lots of pictures of the wreck of a house being remodeled. Ma and PA Keller visited and brought along a slew of brothers and sisters to work on the house. I must say, I'm a bit jealous since we have to have most things done for us and it's expensive! All that free labor! Fundies really all seem to know all about house remodeling, don't they? I wonder if it's up to code, or even inspected at all!

Their next door neighbors popped over to show them how to lay hardwood floors. The mom and her daughter are wearing skirts while doing messy work so I'm guessing they live in a Fundie enclive?