The Sandy Hook Advisory Commission was formed after the tragedy nearly two years ago and was charged with looking into the issues such as school security, gun control and mental health.
The commission has proposed more state oversight of home-schooling programs, but parents like Donna Person are upset about that.
“I think it's the best way to educate,” Person said about home schooling her children. “The kids are together, they're with us, they're learning unbelievably.”
Person said she is frustrated that the state is talking about stepping in on home schoolers.
“They don't have their house in order, and they have no business coming after us,” she said.
A draft recommendation that the Commission released this week said that if parents choose to home school children with social and emotional challenges, they would have to have an education plan approved by the special education director in that town.
Hamden Mayor Scott Jackson chairs the commission, and said the additional oversight is aimed at making sure children with mental health problems are getting the help they need.
"We as a community have to watch out for every child. One of the ways we do that is in the school buildings, but we can't forget the young men and women who are not inside those buildings,” Jackson said.
Person said that is not the answer, and that she wants the state to prove the Newtown school shooter was home schooled. She said it is likely that the shooter had a home-based education through the school system and that he still fell through the cracks.
The state's attorney report said Adam Lanza attended a combination of public school classes, home schooling and tutoring.
Jackson said that regardless of Lanza's education, their job is to look for gaps.
“Yeah, this is controversial, it creates a change. But, isn't that what we're supposed to do,” Jackson added.
The final report from the Sandy Hook Advisory Commission is expected to be complete in the next few weeks. After that, it is up to lawmakers to make recommendations and turn them into legislation.
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