How are cell phone bans in Kentucky classrooms? Here's how a bill could change everything

Yahoo

18-03-2025

PARIS, Ky. (FOX 56) — Cell phones have long been viewed as a distraction. It doesn't matter if that's been in the classroom, the workplace, or even the dinner table.
Several Kentucky school districts have taken steps to remove that distraction.
Bourbon County High School introduced a new cell phone policy for the 2024-2025 school year.
The policy requires students to leave their cell phones in designated locker spaces unless they have permission via a 504/IEP accommodation.
Principal Morgan Adkins said the decision to put this cell phone policy in place was a collaborative effort from teachers and staff at Bourbon County High School. In the seven months since the policy went into effect, he said it's working.
'We're seeing kids that are more engaged; we're seeing kids that are removing barriers that hinder them from being able to learn content, especially running content at that rigorous level,' Adkins explained. 'I think in those classrooms, you're actually seeing kids that are moving the needle in and are learning the content,' Adkins claimed.
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But unfortunately, despite there being a policy in place, he said not everyone has been on board enforcing it.
'Content is still being delivered, but are they truly learning it? Because they have that barrier that's drawing their attention and attracting to them,' Adkins added.
He said if teachers don't want to enforce the policy, then the school will find other options.
'The ways you start to enforce policies that people aren't willing to follow it. Then we have to get the corrective action plan. And so we have to maybe find other places for staff members to work. Listen, here in Bourbon County High School, this is the policy. We're going to follow it. If it's not something you agree or support. There's a lot of places in the public educators,' Adkins continued.
Soon, however, it won't be on districts to come up with their own policies for cell phone use.
The General Assembly recently passed House Bill 208, which will require districts to have a no cell phones in class policy for students to follow.
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The bill currently sits awaiting Gov. Andy Beshear's signature.
It has three exceptions, where cell phones can be used in an emergency, if a teacher authorizes the use, or if a teacher plans on students using their phones for instructional use.
It's that last point Adkins said the bill could use some tweaks.
'The minute you start opening up the teacher discretion, then you get back to that spot where you have teachers who were enforcing it and teachers that say, 'You know what? I can think of some kind of reason why every day I would need kids to be able to use cell phones and then you basically don't have it at all,'' Adkins challenged.
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He believes there is another option most schools have access to already that would be better than allowing cell phone use for instructional purposes.
'Cell phones, as well as social media and things that distract from that. With those, things can be blocked on Chromebooks, and kids can truly use Chromebooks to find information that's going to help them be able to apply whatever content they're trying to learn,' Adkins concluded.
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