Scandal-Plagued Duggars Dropped as Speakers at Canadian Home Schooling Convention

A Canadian home schooling convention has dropped 19 Kids and Counting stars Jim Bob Duggar and Michelle Duggar as speakers after a membership uproar over their son’s molestation scandal.

The Duggars were booked two years ago by the Alberta Home School Association for its April 2016 convention, but on Sunday the group canceled the Duggars‘ appearance, bowing to pressure.

“Although early feedback from our members this summer was supportive of having the Duggars come here, recent feedback from our own members points out that their appearance here would not be in the best interests of home educators,” AHEA president Paul van den Bosch said in a statement.

TLC’s 19 Kids and Counting, which first went to air in 2008, was earlier this year canceled after Josh Duggar, the Duggars‘ eldest son, admitted to sexually molesting several underage girls 12 years ago, including his sisters. Sisters Jill and Jessa Duggar are returning to TLC with a three-part special, Jill and Jessa: Counting On, as they chronicle how they are moving on from their family’s molestation scandal. 

“As we have learned, child abuse can happen in any home and is never ‘old news’,” van den Bosch added. The Alberta homeschoolers will hear a session at their convention on preventing child abuse by Chris Butler of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, entitled “Protecting the Gift.”

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