Billie Eilish says parents who send kids to school are lazy
Billie Eilish has sparked a fresh wave of outrage after a resurfaced interview saw her slam parents who send their children to school as 'lazy as f***.'
The 24-year-old Grammy winner is facing fierce backlash after the 2019 clip from Pitchfork's Over/Under series began circulating online once again, with critics branding her comments 'privileged' and wildly out of touch.
Eilish, who was homeschooled alongside her older brother Finneas by their mother, Maggie Baird, has long praised her unconventional upbringing.
The siblings have previously said their education centered on self-expression and allowed them the freedom to pursue music instead of following a traditional classroom curriculum.
But despite homeschooling remaining a relatively uncommon path - used by just 3.3 percent of K-12 students, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) - Eilish's glowing endorsement quickly veered into far more controversial territory.
In the resurfaced interview, the Birds of a Feather singer argued that many parents send their children to school simply because they're 'lazy as f***' - a remark that ignited a firestorm across social media.
Billie Eilish has sparked a fresh wave of outrage after a resurfaced interview saw her slam parents who send their children to school as 'lazy as f***,' Above, in February
Eilish, who was homeschooled alongside her older brother Finneas by their mother, Maggie Baird, has long praised her unconventional upbringing and credited it with fueling her creativity; Above, Eilish, brother Finneas O'Connell, father Patrick O'Connell and mother Maggie Baird in 2019
'I’ve never been to school. I grew up homeschooled, stayed homeschooled, never was not homeschooled. The thing is, I still learned everything, you know? But I learned it in life,' Eilish began.
She went on to explain that everyday activities replaced traditional lessons in her household.
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'I learned how to do math by cooking with my mom and seeing how many halves are gonna make this amount... If we double this recipe, how many more do we have to put in this batch right here?' she said. 'So, that's how I learned math, and then I learned how to build sh** from my dad.'
The singer then took aim at conventional schooling, insisting there were 'a lot of ways' to educate children before blaming parents for choosing classrooms over homeschooling.
'I mean, there's a lot of ways to do it. I think some people do it the wrong way, which just makes your life horrible and miserable and boring,' she said.
'And that's mainly because parents are lazy as f*** - that's why they send their kids to school in the first place: "I don't want to teach you, b****."'
Her comments quickly divided the internet, with many accusing the singer of overlooking the reality that most parents have to work full-time and simply cannot homeschool their children.
'That's such a privileged thing to say,' one critic wrote.
Her comments quickly divided the internet
Another posted: 'Sooo if parents are supposed to teach their homeschooled kids everything, when do they have time to go to work and provide for the household? This only works if you're highly privileged already.'
A third quipped: 'This may unintentionally be the best reason to attend school.'
'Maybe the parents are busy working to provide for their kids. That's the opposite of lazy,' another commenter argued.
Others, however, felt Eilish had a point - even if they disagreed with how she expressed it.
'Maybe y'all don't like her delivery but a lot of parents used public school to raise their kids and not just educate them on world affairs and that's why we have the problems we do now,' one supporter wrote.
Another added: 'Lowkey get her point. She just ain't say it right.'
In the same 2019 interview, her brother Finneas also spoke of homeschooling, saying: ‘Being homeschooled is all about self-discovery. It's something that I've really enjoyed and thrived under. I'm not at a high school where I have to base my self-worth off what other people think of me.
'I have to think, "What would I like to be doing? How would I like to be as a person?" I think that's an enormously positive thing.’
In the same 2019 interview, her brother Finneas also spoke of homeschooling, saying: ‘Being homeschooled is all about self-discovery. It's something that I've really enjoyed and thrived under. I'm not at a high school where I have to base my self-worth off what other people think of me;' Above, in 2022
In the same interview, the musicians’ mother, Baird, stressed the flexibility of homeschooling for parents and children alike.
‘Everybody's always out doing things, traveling, going places, meeting for classes, and organizing field trips. It's like going to college. You take what you want, where you want it, and you find what you need…
'Homeschooling allows us to let them do the things that they really love to do and not have a giant academic schedule on top of it.’
Billie and Finneas’ father, and Baird’s husband, Patrick O'Connell, told The New York Times in March 2019 that he and his wife were inspired to try homeschooling after reading about the experience of ’90s band Hanson.
‘I was completely swept away by these kids… They were religious Oklahoma home-schooled, but nonetheless. Clearly what had happened was they'd been allowed to pursue the things that they were interested in,’ he said.
Penn State Says it Has Guaranteed More Than $1 Billion in Future Athletics Revenue
Penn State Says it Has Guaranteed More Than $1 Billion in Future Athletics Revenue
Athletic Director Pat Kraft says Penn State has "one of the strongest financial foundations in college athletics."Mark Wogenrich|
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Penn State Nittany LionsPenn State has developed new business and marketing partnerships generating more than $1 billion in future athletics revenue, according to Athletic Director Pat Kraft. It also has one of the largest debt services in college athletics, the product of an ongoing $700 million renovation of Beaver Stadium.
In a letter to Penn State fans recapping the 2025-26 athletics season, Kraft said that Penn State saw record attendance, fundraising and ticket sales during the year. Penn State generated record revenue during the 2024-25 fiscal year, topping $250 million in gross athletics revenue for the first time in school history. Figures for the 2025-26 fiscal year will be available early next year.
Penn State also spent more than $250 million for the first time, largely due to increasing NIL payments and the Beaver Stadium renovation. Penn State reported total athletics-related debt of $534.6 million, one of the nation's highest athletics deficits.
Still, Kraft in his letter painted a positive outlook of Penn State's total athletics health.
"Together, we’ve built one of the strongest financial foundations in college athletics, securing more than $1 billion in guaranteed future revenue while dramatically increasing philanthropic support for our student-athletes and programs," Kraft wrote. "Those aren’t simply milestones. They’re investments in championships. They’re investments in people. And they’re investments in the future of Penn State Athletics."
One chapter closes, another begins. Here's to what's next.#WeAre | A letter from Pat Kraft: https://t.co/z3QVD7RGGU pic.twitter.com/WV2rcLiSvi
— Penn State Athletics (@GoPSUsports) June 30, 2026
Kraft's letter marked not only the begininng of Penn State's 2026-27 athletics year and budget but also his fifth year in charge of the department. Kraft has made sweeping changes during his Penn State term, including the new 10-year apparrel deal with adidas that took effect July 1.
Kraft said the deal, whose total value could reach $300 million over its lifespan, would set an "industry standard" in college athletics. Penn State on Wednesday unveiled its new adidas football uniforms and opened a campus pop-up shop featuring adidas merchandise.
Kraft has conducted a significant overhaul of Penn State's athletics department since becoming athletic director in 2022. He negotiated a 15-year, $50 million deal for the naming rights to the field at Beaver Stadium and signed contracts with a new media rights partner and a new ticketing partner, among many others. The adidas deal represents Kraft's most consequential change.
Penn State also reached a milestone in the Beaver Stadium construction, holding a "topping out" ceremony in June that placed the last beam atop the new West Tower. When complete, the tower will reach a peak of 195 feet.
"Every day, the future of West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium becomes more visible," Kraft wrote in the letter. "After more than 750,000 labor hours, thousands of tons of steel and the topping out of the final beam this June, we’re creating a game day experience worthy of the greatest fans in college sports.
'Expanded concourses, modern amenities, upgraded premium spaces, enhanced technology and improved accessibility will ensure Beaver Stadium remains one of the most iconic and intimidating venues in America for decades to come."
Built for the loudest crowd in college football. 🔊
— Beaver Stadium (@beaver_stadium) June 30, 2026
The new west side is on the way, and we already know the atmosphere is going to be next level.#WeAre pic.twitter.com/liDjE6PpJ3
Penn State also opened its new Jeffrey Field soccer complex last year as well as the bubble training facility that relieves scheduling pressure on Holuba Hall, which multiple programs shared with Penn State football.
"These investments aren’t simply about buildings," Kraft wrote. "They’re about creating an environment where the best coaches want to coach, the best student-athletes want to compete and where every member of our department has the resources to pursue excellence. They reflect
our belief that when you invest in people, extraordinary things happen."
On the field, Penn State finished 23rd in the Learfield Directors' Cup, the annual all-sports award of college athletics. Having publicly suggested Penn State could win four NCAA titles last season, Kraft setteld for one: the fifth straight NCAA team title for Penn State wrestling.
"As proud as we are of what we’ve accomplished together, we’re even more excited about what’s ahead," Kraft wrote. "The future of college athletics is being written today, and Penn State intends to help write it. We have extraordinary student-athletes. Outstanding coaches. Incredible staff. Unmatched facilities. And the greatest fans in college athletics.
"Most importantly, we have a community that believes in something bigger than itself. Thank you for believing in our vision. Thank you for believing in our student-athletes. And thank you for believing in Penn State. The momentum is real. The future is bright. And we’re just getting started."
We Are—and will always be...Penn State.#WeAre \\\ @adidas pic.twitter.com/FBl7qxTuwT
— Penn State Athletics (@GoPSUsports) July 1, 2026
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MARK WOGENRICHMark Wogenrich is the editor and publisher of Penn State on SI, the site for Nittany Lions sports on the Sports Illustrated network. He has covered Penn State sports for more than two decades across three coaching staffs, three Rose Bowls and one College Football Playoff appearance.
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