Kentucky’s House Bill 208 went into effect in classrooms this school year. The bill mandates local boards of education to adopt a policy to prohibit student use of a personal telecommunications device during instructional time with specific exceptions.
Bath County Superintendent, Micheal Melton, said anything that protects instructional time is a good move, but notes that Bath County Schools, like most other school systems, had such rules in place for years.
“When teachers are up teaching, well they’re not on the phone anyway. When students are in the classroom and they got their phones put away, or you know some districts are banning them completely or having them put them in pouches or whatever may be the case,” Melton said. “Either way, if they are put away then they are having no impact on anyone.”
Melton added that parents do not have to worry about a lack of communication with their children, because there is still a landline phone in every classroom should the need arise. The bill also outlines social media prohibitions.
Melton said for now, his schools will continue to use Google platforms as a tool for education.
“I think most of us feel there are going to be major changes to the legislation to the statue with the upcoming session. So, I didn’t want to invest a whole lot of money in platforms that, you know, may be short lived,” Melton said.
More information on the bill is available at apps.legislature.ky.gov.