Sen. Cicarella Votes “No” on Homeschool Bill: “Parents Should Not Be Forced to Co-Parent with the Government”

Hartford — State Sen. Paul Cicarella (R–34) released the following statement following passage of legislation H.B. 5468 on May 4 impacting homeschool families in Connecticut:

“I strongly opposed this bill because it’s a clear step toward government overreach. Parents, not the state, should be making decisions about their children’s education. For months, we heard directly from parents across Connecticut. Hundreds showed up, thousands sent testimony, those families made their voices clear. They were not asking for special treatment, they were asking for respect, transparency, and the ability to make decisions for their own children.

That should have mattered.

At the same time, we are seeing deeply concerning failures within systems already under government control. There have been multiple serious incidents including four cases where DCF was already involved and the outcomes still ended tragically. That is heartbreaking and raises real questions about oversight and accountability.

This bill expands government control in a way that creates more uncertainty and unnecessary oversight for families. Let me be clear: no parent should feel like they are being forced to co-parent with the government. We can support students and ensure accountability without undermining parental rights, but this bill failed to strike that balance.”