Jim Bob, Michelle Duggar release insensitive statement about their suffering

The Duggars may have finally gone too far.

More:Research on the Duggars’ lifestyle and beliefs exposes shocking revelations

The famous family behind the hit TLC reality series 19 Kids and Counting has been embroiled in scandal since it’s become widely known that the eldest son, Josh, admitted to molesting a number of young girls when he was a teen. According to reports acquired by In Touch Weekly via a Freedom of Information Act request, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, Josh’s parents, knew about the crimes soon after they happened. Instead of alerting police immediately, they sent Josh to do hard labor with a family friend in lieu of counseling and had Josh confess to a state trooper, who gave him a “stern talk” rather than pressing charges.

Other than carefully crafted media statements, the family has been largely silent. Josh admitted to and apologized for molesting those girls, and, in response to advertisers dropping TLC, the network pulled reruns of 19 Kids and Counting from its lineup.

Now, Jim Bob and Michelle are set to make their first major TV appearance since the scandal broke; according to their blog, they’ll be guests on Fox News’ The Kelly File.

More:Jim Bob Duggar’s statement that could be bad news for Josh

“Next week we will sit down with Megyn Kelly on Fox News to share our hearts with you about the pain that we walked through as a family 12 years ago, the tears we all shed and the forgiveness that was given,” Michelle wrote.

And that’s not OK.

While we understand that for parents to learn of their son’s heinous crime is heartbreakingly difficult, to appear on TV to talk about their own pain is incredibly insensitive to Josh’s victims. These girls were molested. Their privacy and innocence were violated by this man, and they are the ones whose pain we should be concerned about, not Jim Bob’s and Michelle’s. To turn this tragic situation that could very well have had lifelong negative effects on a number of young girls into a TV appearance shows a new side of the Duggars: one that makes them look like they’re more concerned with their own fame than the results of their son’s actions.

More:The other silent victim in the Duggar scandal

Do you agree? Will you watch the Duggars’ interview on Fox News? Or do you, too, think they’ve crossed the line? Head down to the comments and tell us what you think.