Duggar family followers might have wanted to hold their applause in 2020. Followers, often critical of the Duggar family and their archaic rules, were thrilled to see Jill Dillard and her husband, Derick Dillard, break with Duggar family tradition by enrolling their eldest son in public school. A few years later, it looks like homeschooling is back in session for the Dillards.
How many children do Jill and Derick have?
Jill and Derick married in June 2014 after being set up by Jill’s father, Jim Bob Duggar. They didn’t waste any time starting a family. Their first son, Israel, was born 10 months later.
The couple welcomed their second son, Samuel, in 2017. After Samuel, the couple opted to do some family planning, as Derick enrolled in law school. They have since spoken openly about their use of birth control and their thoughts on some of the Duggar family’s strictest rules. Their third child, Frederick, was born in July 2022.
Jill Dillard broke tradition by choosing public education over homeschooling
Jill followed in her sister, Jinger Vuolo’s footsteps as a Duggar family rebel. Jim Bob and Michelle’s third child broke away from her famous family, began wearing pants and shorts, and pierced her nose. She really broke with tradition in 2020 when she announced her eldest son, Israel Dillard, would be educated at a local public school.
The decision is one that no other Duggar had made before. While Michelle Duggar attended public school and Jim Bob Duggar was educated at a religious private school, they opted to keep their kids much more sheltered. Jim Bob and Michelle homeschooled all 19 Duggar children, and many of those kids vowed to continue the tradition with their own families. Jill was the first to break that tradition, but it looks like it lasted only a short time.
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It looks like the couple is back to homeschooling their kids, though
2022 was a busy year for the Dillard family. Derick passed the bar exam and scored a new job. The family welcomed a third child and moved to a larger home closer to Derick’s job. In the rush of big changes, one thing didn’t happen. Jill Dillard never shared a back-to-school photo of her sons.
Recent posts on Jill’s Instagram account, which has sputtered back to life following the birth of Frederick, indicate that the only school the Dillard boys attend is at the family’s dining room table. In recent months, Jill has shared photos of her boys out and about, including visiting a courthouse during traditional school hours. Jill has also shared photos that suggest she’s helping the boys learn at home. Family followers are convinced that Jill Dillard is homeschooling her kids.
Israel initially started school in September 2020. Samuel, now 5, should be in kindergarten. Jill and Derick have opted not to address how they currently educate their children.
Several of Jill’s siblings are opting to homeschool, too. One, however, is not. Jinger Vuolo revealed that she has no plans to teach her children at home when they are ready for school. Jinger is the mother of two girls, aged 4 and 2.
