State Senator Jeff Gordon said on May 6 that he voted against House Bill 5468, which affects parents who homeschool their children. The bill passed in the Connecticut legislature on May 4.
Gordon said the legislation is not about education or child safety but is instead a direct interference in the lives of law-abiding parents making decisions about their children’s education. He said, “I strongly opposed this bill because it is not about education or child safety, but rather it is a targeted, direct interference in the lives of hard-working, law-abiding parents who are making decisions on how to best educate their children.”
He referenced U.S. Supreme Court rulings that recognize parental rights as protected by the Constitution. Gordon said these include “the fundamental right of parents to make decisions concerning the care, custody, and control of their children,” and added that “in addition to the specific freedoms protected by the Bill of Rights, the ‘liberty’ specially protected by the Due Process Clause includes the right…to direct the education and upbringing of one’s children.”
During debate over House Bill 5468, supporters cited cases involving child deaths and home abductions as reasons for stricter oversight. However, Gordon argued that these cases resulted from failures within Connecticut’s Department of Children and Families (DCF), not from homeschooling itself. He quoted a recent report: “Every day, the deficits in case practice have consequences for children” and “The deficits in the quality of case practice must be urgently remedied.”
Gordon also questioned claims that homeschooled students fare worse than others. He pointed to New York State’s more regulated system and noted there was no evidence showing better outcomes there compared with Connecticut.
In his statement, Gordon concluded: “I will continue to stand up for common-sense public policy and stand against unneeded government intrusion into our lives and livelihoods.”
