Ashton Bandy

Christian, Husband, Father, Deacon, Homeschool Advocate, Community Galvanizer, Defender of the Unborn

[Ashton Bandy @thecrackshot]

@thisisfoster

[Ashton Bandy @thecrackshot]

Pray for CT homeschoolers 🙏

[HSLDA @HSLDA]

Is Connecticut’s Homeschooling Bill “Repugnant” to American Tradition?

Connecticut lawmakers are considering a bill that would subject every family to a background check by the Department of Children and Families before beginning to homeschool.

Not after evidence of abuse. Not in response to a specific concern. But as a condition of carrying out a basic responsibility of parenthood—in this case choosing the best education method for your child. In effect, the state must clear you before you may begin to teach your own child.

That’s a profound shift. The US Supreme Court has described this kind of presumption as “repugnant to American tradition.”

The bill is heading to the Senate, after being amended and passed by the House Thursday night. Like many such proposals, the bill is described as a modest response to tragic cases of children being abused. Every case of child abuse is devastating and morally urgent. So any serious discussion must begin there. But it cannot end there.

The 1979 Supreme Court decision in Parham v. J.R. did not arise in the context of education. It concerned a difficult question about when a parent may admit a child for mental health treatment. Yet precisely because the stakes were so high, the Court spoke with unusual clarity about the starting point for any state intervention into parent-child decision-making.

It began with a principle older than any civil government, quoting Pierce v. Society of Sisters (1925): “The child is not the mere creature of the State.”

That line marks a boundary. The state may have interests in the welfare of children, but it does not possess children. Parents do not exercise their role at the pleasure of a regulatory scheme; they fulfill a duty that precedes the state.

Then the Court explained why the law has long trusted parents: “Historically, it has recognized that natural bonds of affection lead parents to act in the best interests of their children.”

The Connecticut proposal proceeds from a different premise. By requiring every parent to be pre-screened before they can begin homeschooling, it turns parents from trusted actors into potential risks to be managed.

The Court in Parham anticipated precisely this reasoning and rejected it. It acknowledged plainly that “some parents ‘may at times be acting against the interests of their children.’”

That is the hard reality invoked today. But the Court’s response is decisive: This fact “creates a basis for caution,” not a license to discard wholesale the long recognized governing presumption.

That is where the Connecticut bill departs most sharply from our legal tradition. It takes the exception—the rare but real examples of abuse—and uses it to justify a universal screening regime. But that move alters the relationship between family and state.

The Court drew the line in unmistakable terms: “The statist notion that governmental power should supersede parental authority in all cases because some parents abuse and neglect their children is repugnant to American tradition.” (emphasis in original).

That word—repugnant—reflects a decisive judgment about a view that is fundamentally incompatible with our constitutional tradition. A system that begins by distrusting every parent because of the misconduct of a few is not merely overbroad, it’s totally out of line.

If the bill passes, all families would be prevented from beginning to homeschool until the DCF screening was completed. It would be a barrier based on a generalized suspicion of all parents rather than specific concerning evidence about some parents, in direct contradiction to the Supreme Court’s admonition in Parham. That is the central problem.

The question, then, is not whether child abuse exists. It does. The question is how a free society responds to that evil without abandoning the freedom that makes human flourishing possible.

As we approach the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, we are reminded of a central tenet of the American experiment: that unalienable rights endowed by our Creator precede government itself—among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

The Founders saw here a life shaped by virtue, responsibility, and purpose. They saw human flourishing. And they assumed this life begins with the family, not with the state. Rather the state is charged with guarding the freedom that makes flourishing possible.

The Connecticut bill reframes that principle. Trust in parents is replaced with suspicion. Freedom is not the starting point, but a risk to be managed. Liberty must be approved before it can be exercised.

The law already provides tools to protect children where there is evidence of harm, and those tools should be used vigorously and without hesitation. But that is very different from treating every family as a potential threat to kids.

What is at stake in Connecticut is not simply homeschooling, but the meaning of liberty itself. Is it a problem to be managed—or a good to be preserved?

Is the family the starting point—or the state?

We can protect children without reversing the presumption of trust in parents. We can enforce the law without redefining liberty as a liability. And we can act decisively where evidence demands it without imposing suspicion where none exists.

That is the balance our American tradition has struck, and Connecticut should not abandon it now.

For Homeschool Freedom,
-Jim Mason, HSLDA President

[Ashton Bandy @thecrackshot]

Continue to persevere, CT homeschoolers! May the Lord grant you victory in this battle

[HSLDA @HSLDA]

Update on Connecticut HB 5468: The bill did pass out of committee today 26-20, but we believe there is reason for optimism, because it was not a purely party line vote and the margin was narrow.

We heard that some of the representatives were swayed by the amount of opposition and articulate testimony against this bill from homeschool families.

Thank you again to everyone who has already submitted testimony, contacted their representatives, and traveled to the hearings. Your efforts do make a difference. Stay tuned for further updates; the fight is not over!

If you haven’t already, please sign up for our email alerts at https://t.co/BQdyHjHOt0 so that you will be notified when our legal team sends out updates and a call to action.

For more information about the bill and why we are opposing it, go to https://t.co/dKJYbKxXES

[Will Estrada @Will_Estrada]

Last night, Illinois State Representative La Shawn Ford, @RepFord8 won the Democrat primary for Illinois 7th Congressional District to replace retiring Rep. Danny Davis. Homeschool families remember Ford helped defeat draconian HB 2827 last year. Huge win for a homeschool friend!

[DataRepublican (small r) @DataRepublican]

🧵 THREAD: The JB Pritzker Files

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is positioning himself as the Democratic hero of 2028.

But before the national press crowns him, let's look at what he's built.

As always, patience as I pull the thread together. 👇

[Ashton Bandy @thecrackshot]

Bring back disabling media previews on @X! My timeline is a mess now 😬 @elonmusk

[Ashton Bandy @thecrackshot]

Filming day with @afpillinois!

[Ashton Bandy @thecrackshot]

May the Lord bless the Bailey family with peace and comfort during this time of loss, you all are in our prayers

[Darren Bailey @DarrenBaileyIL]

Statement from the Darren Bailey / Aaron Del Mar Campaign

On Wednesday evening, Darren and his wife, Cindy, received the heartbreaking news no parent ever wants to hear. Their son, Zachary, his wife, Kelsey, and their two young children, Vada Rose, age 12, and Samuel, age 7, tragically lost their lives in a helicopter accident in Montana.

Their other grandson, Finn, age 10, was not on the helicopter and is safe.

Darren and Cindy are heartbroken by this unimaginable loss. They are finding comfort in their faith, their family, and the prayers of so many who love and care for them. The Baileys deeply appreciate the kindness and support they have received and ask for privacy as they grieve and hold their loved ones close during this difficult time.

[Ashton Bandy @thecrackshot]

Our church is trying something new since moving to our new property - a men’s camp-out. Men and sons will be out in the October IL cold, enjoying honest discussions rooted in Scripture, egging each other on with games like log tosses and foot races, and seeing who snores the loudest.

The past few years have been hard for our congregation. We had multiple church leaders leave for their own reasons, families move on from the community or state…God has been pulling away the layers to rebuild something pretty cool. 5-6 years ago, we had 250+ attending which dwindled down to ~25 around a year ago.

However, but God. He has blessed us abundantly during the lean times, brought us closer together as a body, added to our numbers, blessed us with leaders that come from afar to continue preaching the Word, and set us on a trajectory that can only be attributed to His goodness and mercy.

Our family still tries to maintain positive relationships with those that have moved on, and we pray the Lord’s blessing on them for next steps. We all have seasons in life, hopefully their involvement brought them closer to Christ. And for those that are now here, called to come together to worship weekly in our body, we’re thankful for each and work to build a community rooted in Him.

The last time the men of the church camped like this was around 20 years ago and our church was just starting. We were in a different season, excited for the future, dedicated to proclaiming the Word in central IL. Much has happened since then, and all those camping this time around are new except our family. God is building something special with our church community, and I’m thankful He has us here working hard for the Kingdom. We continue to see evidences of His blessings to the future, as we seek to get outside our comfort zone, build up the church of Peoria, and establish His Kingdom in central IL.

Find a church that boldly proclaims the Gospel, be willing to get stretched as an imperfect person being in community with other imperfect people. The Word speaks truth into our lives; heed the calling and hunker down to build for Him.

[Ashton Bandy @thecrackshot]

Today a crowd stood for the Gospel and the sanctity of life for Life Chain Sunday. We prayed that God would shut down Planned Parenthood Peoria, that He would change the hearts of those that yelled and displayed anger and obscenities. We’re peacefully protesting the sin that exists in our community…it’s time to be a Pro-life Peoria.

[Ashton Bandy @thecrackshot]

The renewed focus on what it means to boldly proclaim your values and get things done brings about the next question…how do I do that? @shawnblanc has built a solid framework for starting that conversation and I highly recommend The Focus Course

[Shawn Blanc @shawnblanc]

Holy moly.

Nearly 2,000 folks have signed up to design their life with me later this week.

Focus Course in a Day is happening on Saturday!

(My bio has the link if you wanna join us, too.)

[Ashton Bandy @thecrackshot]

Charlie Kirk candle vigil #1500strong #WeAreCharlieKirk

[Ashton Bandy @thecrackshot]

1000+ at the Charlie Kirk vigil in Pekin, IL at Gethsemane Church #WeAreCharlieKirk

[Ashton Bandy @thecrackshot]

Standing for life and the Gospel here at Planned Parenthood Peoria, may the Lord grant repentance to this community and belief in Christ #ProlifePeoria

[Ashton Bandy @thecrackshot]

Tomorrow I’ll be at a civics leadership training alongside @theurban_center in Shorewood - now is the time to stand in the gap amidst a culture that hates the nuclear family and wants to destroy our ability to homeschool. IL is a battleground, let’s take a stand for freedom rooted in the Gospel! https://t.co/pFU3JYFF8H

[Ashton Bandy @thecrackshot]

“I am praying that this is a real Turning Point, what Charlie gave his life for, a moment where America turns back to Christ in an unmistakable way, rejects every vestige of the false idol of secular neutrality, decisively rejects and drives all evil and lies from this land, and insists that we are a Christian nation, a Christian people, under God and His good law, which Charlie spent his life insisting, is the only basis for a truly free and prosperous society.”

[Toby Sumpter @TJSumpter]

Ultimately, what the shooter and his demonic cheerleaders are aiming at is God. This Devilish evil wants to pull Christ down from His throne and crucify Him again. But they can’t, and so they put bullets in the necks of His servants and bay at the moon.
https://t.co/9poOTJsTfU

[Ashton Bandy @thecrackshot]

Good, challenging words from Foster. May this assassination on Charlie Kirk be the catalyst to help the next generation realize we have hard, worthwhile work ahead of us to further the Kingdom and continue Kirk’s legacy of boldly proclaiming the Gospel. RIP Charlie

[Ashton Bandy @thecrackshot]

Pray for Charlie Kirk

[Turning Point UK 🇬🇧 @TPointUK]

Charlie is alive and fighting in hospital.

Please join us in praying for him.

[Ashton Bandy @thecrackshot]

Enjoying the mountains of Colorado!

[Ashton Bandy @thecrackshot]

@thefinley Congrats on the new job!