CONNECTICUT, USA — The Connecticut Supreme Court upheld mandatory school vaccinations July 30, striking down all but one count of a legal challenge citing religious freedom violations.
When state lawmakers passed a bill to eliminate religious exemptions for school vaccine requirements in 2021, thousands of people traveled to Hartford to voice their opposition.
“We’re taking away the right of parents to make choices for their children,” Jonathan Johnson of New Britain said at the time.
Some parents vowed to pull their kids out of the public school system all together.
“I have to figure out a plan to school this little one. She can’t go to public school now,” Monica Szymonik of Glastonbury said.
While the ruling is a major setback for their cause, the fight is not over just yet.
“There’s one count that needs to be analyzed in the context of strict scrutiny and that’s what the focus of this case will be now,” Brian Marks, professor of law and public health at the University of New Haven School of Health Sciences, said. "It raises the bar not from a reasonableness standard, but to one of strict scrutiny."
A lower court will decide whether the law violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
“I think the Supreme Court of Connecticut did the right thing by sending it back to allow the lower court to examine the facts and circumstances,” Marks said. “This is also akin to the immunity case going on at the federal level.”
Until then, the law stands. This means, students without pre-approved religious exemptions must roll up their sleeves prior to the start of the school year, including siblings of exempt students.
"So for students this fall, they are going to be required fulfill the mandate and not be exempt for religious reasons. Let’s keep in mind, medical indication is still available,” Marks said. "What's also interesting is for some families, they can have one child who's exempt because they're grandfathered in and another child who's now about to enter school, who must get the vaccine."
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong praised the ruling to keep vaccine requirements in place.
"Vaccines save lives, school vaccine requirements remain in effect, and we are very confident in our position," Tong said in a statement. “This merely dismisses most aspects of the challenge while allowing plaintiffs to continue to press one remaining part of their case in state court, where we will aggressively defend the state’s necessary and lawful actions to protect public health."
The state law removing religious exemptions remains in effect and will be enforced unless the lower court rules otherwise.
Click here to see a list of immunization requirements for enrolled students in Connecticut schools for the 2024-2025 school year.
RELATED: SCOTUS rejects challenge to Connecticut law that eliminated religious vaccination exemption
Bridgette Bjorlo is an anchor/reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at bbjorlo@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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