Sen. Sampson Blasts Passage of Homeschool Bill: “Parents Are Not Subjects of the State”

Hartford — State Sen. Rob Sampson (R-16) released the following statement following the passage of H.B. 5468 on May 4, legislation impacting homeschool families in Connecticut: 

“I strongly opposed this bill because it is a direct expansion of government into the lives of families who are doing exactly what they believe is best for their children.

Let’s be clear about who we are talking about. These are parents who choose to homeschool for many different reasons. Some believe they can provide a better education than the state. Some have children with special needs that aren’t being met. Others are trying to protect their kids from bullying or from content in public schools they find inappropriate.

That does not make them dangerous.
That does not make them extreme.
They are parents.

And they are exercising their right to raise their children the way they see fit.

For months, those parents showed up. They testified. They waited for hours to be heard. And they asked for something very simple, to be left alone.

That message was ignored.

Instead, the majority passed a bill that increases oversight and moves us closer to a system where parental rights are replaced with government permission.

I said it on the Senate floor, and I will say it again: parents are not subjects of the state.

And at the same time, this same Democratic supermajority has advanced policies that move in the exact opposite direction when it comes to accountability, including expanding parole eligibility for individuals up to age 26 who commit serious crimes (S.B. 503).

Think about that.

More government control over families who are doing the right thing, and less accountability for those who break the law.

That is backwards.

Before expanding government authority into the homes of families, we should be focused on fixing the serious failures in systems already under state control and prioritizing public safety.

But instead, we continue to see a pattern, policies that expand government power over law-abiding citizens while weakening accountability where it matters most. 

This bill creates more bureaucracy, more control, and less freedom.

In a legislature dominated by a Democratic supermajority, my responsibility is to oppose policies like this, force debate, and put these concerns on the public record.”