The Supreme Court has declined to hear a challenge to a 2021 Connecticut law that eliminated the state's religious exemption from childhood immunization requirements for schools, colleges, and day care facilities. The law, which drew protests at the state Capitol, was upheld by a federal appeals court after a lower court judge dismissed a lawsuit against it.
Connecticut's law mandates that students must receive certain immunizations before enrolling in school, with allowances for medical exemptions. Prior to 2021, students could also seek religious exemptions. Lawmakers decided to end the religious exemption due to concerns about an increase in exemption requests coinciding with a decline in vaccination rates in some schools.
Current K-12 students who already had a religious exemption were allowed to retain it under the new law. Democratic Attorney General William Tong praised the decision, stating that the legislature acted responsibly to protect the health of Connecticut families and prevent the spread of preventable diseases.
However, a group called We The Patriots USA Inc., along with several parents, argued that removing the religious exemption violated religious freedom protections. They claimed that the law showed hostility towards religious believers and infringed on their rights to medical freedom and child rearing.
While most aspects of the case have been resolved, there is still an active claim based on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The group is also involved in a separate federal lawsuit challenging Connecticut's vaccine mandate on constitutional grounds.
Despite the setback of the Supreme Court's decision, We The Patriots USA Inc. remains determined to fight for religious exemptions for schoolchildren and continues to pursue legal avenues to uphold their beliefs.
