New Kentucky law makes changes in way school system communicates with students
By Roberta Cantrell
BSN Editor
A new law makes strict changes on the way teachers will be allowed communicate with students electronically starting June 27.
Senate Bill 181, passed in Kentucky, focuses on enhancing transparency and accountability in school-related communications, particularly between school staff and students. It mandates the use of a “traceable communication system” for all school staff and volunteers, restricts personal communication with students outside of that system without parental consent, and establishes reporting requirements for unauthorized communication.
The bill also covers age-appropriate child sexual abuse instruction in schools, reporting requirements for relative and fictive kin placements, and child locating timelines in cases of potential harm.
According to the new law codified as KRS 160.145, each local board of education shall designate a traceable communication system to be the exclusive means for a school district employee or volunteer to communicate electronically with students.
The principal of each public school shall provide parents written or electronic notification within the first ten (10) days of the school year of each electronic school notification and communication program designated within the traceable communication system.
The notification shall include instructions for parents to access and review communications sent through each electronic school notification and communication program.
(3) (a) Except as provided in subsections
(4) and (5) of this section, a school district employee or volunteer shall not communicate electronically with a student: 1. Outside of the traceable communication system designated by the local board of education; or 2. Through an unauthorized electronic communication program or application. (b) A school district employee that violates paragraph (a) of this subsection shall be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with: 1. For certified employees, KRS 161.120 and 161.790; or 2. For classified employees, KRS 161.011(7). (c) A school volunteer that violates paragraph (a) of this subsection shall be prohibited from future school volunteer opportunities.
Perry County School District gave interesting examples to their staff citing that the statute does not make any distinction regarding the reason for the communication and does not require the communication to be connected to the student’s role as a student or the employee/volunteer’s role as an employee/volunteer.
“The kindergarten teacher who texts their 17-year-old next door neighbor to ask them to babysit would be covered by this statute as well as the volunteer football coach who texts a couple of players to ask them to mow his yard, or the youth minister who also drives a school bus who texts members of his youth group about vacation Bible school or church camp as well as any employee/volunteer that maintains a social media account which is capable of being followed or subscribed to by the general public and followers/subscribers are able to like or comment various posts. It’s possible the employee/volunteer would be in violation of the statute.”
Perry County warned that all employees and volunteers should remove any opportunity for students to contact them in a 2-way communication.
This includes something so simple as a “thumbs up” on social media.
Lawrence County Public Relations Spokesperson Sarah Gauze said Lawrence County school district is currently working on what platform it will be using and will update as they know more.