HOMESCHOOLERS TO FORM PARENTAL RIGHTS COALITION AGAINST THREATS TO FREEDOM FROM NEWTOWN COMMISSION

Homeschooling families in Connecticut are in the process of forming a parental rights coalition, as they reject the use of the Newtown shootings over two years ago as a vehicle to undermine the rights of parents to choose the venue for educating their children.

Homeschooling parents and their supporters, including State Sen. Joe Markley (R), held apress conference at the Capitol in Hartford last week in which they pointed out that—even after having initially confused the terms “homeschooling” and “homebound” in describing the education plan of reported Newtown killer Adam Lanza in its draft proposal—the Sandy Hook Advisory Commission (SHAC) still persists in using the shootings to introduce oversight of homeschoolers.

SHAC—named after the Sandy Hook elementary school where the fatal shootings of 20 young children and six school staff members took place—was convened by Gov. Dannel Malloy (D-WFP). The commission recently issued a public policy proposal based on a report from a panel of experts that recommends children with disabilities who are homeschooled must have a special education plan that is overseen by the local school district.