
Fifteen teachers from around the state sued Gov. Ned Lamont and Public Health Commissioner Manisha Juthani for mandating the COVID-19 vaccine or weekly testing before his executive powers expired on Feb. 15.
The vaccine and testing mandates were imposed in the fall of 2021 as a condition of employment. The federal lawsuit said the mandate violated the teachers’ right to bodily autonomy, medical privacy and equal protection.
“We are history teachers, science teachers, physical education teachers and school psychologists. It’s our job to teach our students to think critically, to speak up and advocate for themselves, to respect the scientific method, and to remember their bodies and their lives are their own,” said North Stonington teacher Michael Costanza. “As educators, it is our responsibility to teach the next generation by example. That is why we are standing up.”
The lawsuit filed by attorney Matthew Carlone says there was no scientific evidence to require teachers to get the vaccine or to submit to weekly testing.
“In a public health emergency, a vaccine mandate can only be granted legally if the vaccine stops transmission. We know the vaccines do not stop transmission of COVID-19 and the data demonstrates they actually increase the likelihood of catching the omicron variant,” Carlone said. “The idea that the government can force you to take a drug against your will that makes you more likely to get sick is unconscionable and indefensible.”
The state believes the teachers don’t have a case.
“Our state’s constitution is unambiguous — the Governor has broad authority during public health and civil preparedness emergencies to take steps that save lives. We have not lost a single case on that point and we have no reason to believe this challenge will be any different,” Attorney General William Tong said in a statement.
As a result of the mandate, Carlone said, “Some have lost their livelihood while others have been forced to accept treatment as second-class citizens.”
“The mandates issued by the state blatantly violate our civil and constitutional rights,” said New Haven teacher Jim Bellantoni. “By law, with any EUA (emergency use authorization) product, we must be informed of our right to say no, and our decision must be free from coercion of any sort. Imposing mandatory testing as a consequence of exercising our right to say no, or threatening our jobs as a consequence of exercising our right to say no, is unarguably coercion.”
Support authentic, locally owned and operated public service journalism!
Lamont decided not to extend the mandate when he handed the General Assembly 11 executive orders to extend until April 15. The vaccine mandate and weekly testing requirement expired on Feb. 15.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified monetary damages and an injunction preventing enforcement of any future executive order that would do the same.
More COVID-19 Coverage

Ousted Public Health Commissioner Renée Coleman-Mitchell details her federal discrimination lawsuit
Former State Department of Public Health Commissioner Renée Coleman-Mitchell is on WNPR discussing her federal lawsuit against the state.
Keep reading
Connecticut To Get FEMA Funds for COVID Testing Sites
Connecticut will receive more than $2 million in federal emergency funding to pay for the operation of COVID-19 testing sites during a six-month period last year, the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Monday. The roughly $2.15 million will come from FEMA’s public assistance grant program and will be used to reimburse state funds used to…
Keep reading
COVID Transmission Increases in CT
As of Friday afternoon, Connecticut’s test positivity rate was 13.71% and there were 323 residents hospitalized with the virus. On Thursday, the Department of Public Health reported that 158 of Connecticut’s 169 municipalities qualified for the state’s “red alert” distinction for COVID-19, which is triggered when a community records at least 15 daily cases per…
Keep reading
Connecticut At High, Medium Risk of COVID Transmission
Connecticut’s COVID-19 test positivity rating was 10.35% on Thursday and all eight Connecticut counties were in the medium yellow or high orange categories on the CDC’s community spread map. Those community maps, created by the CDC in February, are supposed to tell people to take preventative steps such as masking and testing. Hartford, Middlesex and…
Keep reading
Advocates Make 11th Hour Pitch For Compassionate Release
Hartford, CT — Advocates seeking compassionate release from prison during public health emergencies like COVID rallied at the state Capitol hours before they saw their legislation die without action in either chamber. At the rally on Wednesday, protestors and advocates were demanding action from legislators to pass a bill that addresses COVID in prisons. The…
Keep reading
Legislating During COVID-19
The legislative session ends in three days now, that’s shorter than the amount of time someone should quarantine under CDC standards if they have COVID-19, so how are lawmakers coping? Sen. Saud Anwar, D-South Windsor, started experiencing symptoms two weeks ago and tested positive for COVID-19. Luckily the session wasn’t scheduled until last Tuesday, but…
Keep reading
Study Shows Union Nursing Homes Had Lower Rates of COVID-19
A recent study published by Health Affairs found that unionized nursing homes had lower resident COVID-19 mortality rates. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, nursing home residents have accounted for roughly one of every six COVID-19 deaths in the United States. Nursing homes have also been very dangerous places for workers, with more than…
Keep reading
Senator Murphy Tests Positive For COVID
U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy announced on Twitter that he tested positive for COVID-19. “FYI after feeling mild symptoms overnight, I tested positive for COVID this morning. We’ve done the contact tracing and let people know. It’s a bummer, but I’m sure if I wasn’t fully vaccinated I would be feeling a lot worse. So remember…
Keep reading
COVID Cases Tick Back Up
Most of Gov. Ned Lamont’s executive orders, which were extended to April 15 by the legislature, have now expired just as Connecticut’s test positivity rate for COVID-19 is creeping back up and students at UConn are being asked to mask up again, starting today. According to the Department of Public Health, Connecticut recorded 3,939 positive…
Keep reading
House Green Lights Extension of COVID-19 Laws
The House gave final passage Wednesday to a package of four concepts that had been executive orders and are now law. Previously, the concepts were executive orders to address the COVID-19 pandemic.
Keep reading
Tong Tests Positive For COVID-19
Attorney General William Tong has tested positive for COVID-19. He is experiencing mild symptoms and quarantining at home.
Keep reading
Lieutenant Gov. Tests Positive For COVID-19, Days After Gov
Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz tested positive for the COVID-19 virus during a routine rapid test over the weekend, her chief staff said in a Monday morning statement. Bysiewicz’s results follow Gov. Ned Lamont, who tested positive late last week. “I have tested positive for COVID-19,” Bysiewicz wrote on Twitter. “Thanks to the vaccine and booster…
Keep reading
Lamont Tests Positive for COVID-19
Gov. Ned Lamont tested positive for COVID-19 Thursday. The results from two rapid tests were positive and he’s awaiting the results of a PCR test, according to this staff. The 68-year-old governor received his second booster exactly a week ago, but has made it through the first two years of the pandemic without contracting the…
Keep reading
New Initiative Allows Same Day COVID Testing And Treatment
Hundreds of pharmacies and federally qualified community health centers across Connecticut are now offering COVID testing and treatments to patients at the same time and place. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, these test-to-treat sites provide antiviral medication to hundreds of locations across the U.S, who then distribute them to patients…
Keep reading
YNHH Top Doc Boosts 2nd Boosters
If you’re eligible to get a second Covid-19 booster shot, go get it. Especially if you’re over 50 and have an underlying medical condition like diabetes that puts you at “high risk” of contracting a severe case of COVID. Read more from the New Haven Independent.
Keep reading