Rep. Mastrofrancesco Op-Ed: When Thousands of Families Speak, Hartford Should LIsten

From the Desk of Rep. Mastrofrancesco:

Over the past several weeks at the Capitol, one issue has drawn an extraordinary response from Connecticut families: H.B. 5468, legislation that would place new requirements on homeschooling families and those who choose private or parochial schools.

The public reaction to that proposal has been overwhelming. More than 3,000 people submitted written testimony opposing the bill. About 50 supported it.

Hundreds more parents, students, educators and residents came in person to testify at the Legislative Office Building, packing the room, when a public hearing was held. Families traveled from across the state. Many took time off from work. Some brought their children because they wanted lawmakers to see exactly who this bill would affect.

And they all came with the same message: the state is going too far. H.B. 5468 focuses on so-called "equivalent instruction" requirements. Under the proposal, parents who withdraw a child from public school would be required to appear in person at their local district office, completely new forms declaring their educational choice, and provide documentation showing where their child will receive instruction.

For many families, that may sound like a simple administrative step. But to parents who have responsibly chosen homeschooling or nonpublic education for years, it feels like something else entirely: government stepping into decisions that belong with families.

The sheer volume of testimony should have been a signal that people wanted to be heard. Instead, the process surrounding these hearings left many residents frustrated and angry.

Multiple major public hearings were scheduled at the same time, forcing many people to choose which issue they could testify on. Meanwhile, testimony before the Public Health Committee on another controversial proposal, HB 5044, which dealt with a radical change to the state's vaccine regulations, was capped at 12 hours despite objections from Republican lawmakers. I also opposed this bill, which I wrote about in last month's column.

Think about that for a moment. Residents take the time to travel to Hartford to speak directly to their government, only to be told the clock has run out. Public hearings are supposed to be about listening. But increasingly, it feels like the goal is to get through them as quickly as possible, leaving people shut out of the process.

And it was not only parents sounding the alarm about this education bill. Several public school superintendents also testified in opposition to HB 5468. When parents, educators and local school leaders are all raising concerns about a bill, that should give lawmakers pause.

But slowing down doesn't seem to be the approach at the Capitol lately. My colleagues recently raised concerns about another troubling trend: the growing abuse of the "emergency certification" process - better known around Hartford as an "e-cert".

E-cert was created for true emergencies – situations where the legislature needs to act immediately. A natural disaster. A fiscal crisis. Something that simply cannot wait. Instead, it is increasingly being used to move major legislation around the normal committee process.

No public hearing. Limited debate. Just drop the bill and move it to the floor.

That is not transparency. That is cutting corners and cutting the public out of the process.

When thousands of families show up to testify about a bill that affects their children, the answer shouldn't be to rush the process or limit the discussion. The answer should be to listen.

Here is the thing about Connecticut families: they are reasonable people. They understand that government has a role to play in education and public policy. But they also expect respect from the people making those decisions.

Right now, many feel like they are being talked at, instead of listened to.

Three thousand people spoke up on HB 5468. That is not a small group. That is a massive outpouring from parents who believe the state is stepping into decisions that belong at the kitchen table, not in a government office.

When that many people raise their voices, Hartford should not be looking for ways around the process. It should be paying attention, But will the majority actually listen to the people? We shall see.