Latest news with #JessamineCountySchools
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Yahoo
Trend wreaking havoc on Kentucky schools
NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56) — A TikTok challenge involving Chromebooks has made its way to central Kentucky. 'It's causing a school issue device to be short-circuited, causing fire, smoke. Those kinds of things that are happening and, and it's very destructive and destroys, the device,' said Jessamine County Schools Director of Operations and School Safety Coordinator Matthew Simpson. Trend wreaking havoc on Kentucky schools Body of missing Laurel County fisherman found Nicholasville nonprofit gets a helping hand for a day of service West Jessamine Middle School was evacuated after a student participated in the action. Simpson said there can be stiff consequences. 'It really does, cost us time and resources, and those things are precious,' he explained. 'Not only do we have the cost of a device but, but there are real criminal charges that can come from this, particularly if a student becomes injured or, you know, heaven forbid, we burn down a school or there's a loss of life.' Lexington eatery makes OpenTable's 'Top 100 Brunch Restaurants' in the US Study: Kentucky is the toughest state to own an EV in Study: It costs over $200K to raise a child over 18 years in Kentucky He said it is important that parents urge their children not to participate in the actions. 'So, we just encourage them to really have those conversations,' Simpson added. 'I have three, three children myself, two of which are, in middle school. And I just said, guys, this is not worth it. So, let's step up, let's do the right thing, and let's avoid these kinds of behaviors.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill to curb cell phone use in Kentucky schools receives unanimous vote, moves on to Senate
FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) — House Bill 208 is headed to the Senate after a unanimous vote. The bill would require every public school district to implement a policy prohibiting cell phone usage during instructional time. Kentucky lawmakers may take tougher stance on school cell phone policies Rep. Josh Bray, R-Mount Vernon, said studies show limiting student cell phone use at school improves mental health and test scores. 'There's been a lot of research done on cell phones with kids and the damages it causes to their mental health and to their ability to learn when they're near,' Bray said. 'There have been studies done that show in school districts that have implemented policies to prohibit their usage during instructional time, test scores have jumped up by 6% pretty immediately.' The bill would also direct the school districts to block access to social media websites on school computers and school internet networks. Teachers would be allowed to authorize cell phone use for instructional purposes, and students would be allowed to use their phones during an emergency, Bray added. Rep. Anne Gay Donworth, D-Lexington, noted she may also not be 'very popular' with her children by voting in favor of HB 208, but she believes it is the right thing to do. Several Kentucky districts adopted much stricter policies regarding cell phones for the 2024–25 school year. Bill to curb cell phone use in Kentucky schools receives unanimous vote, moves on to Senate Ex-Kentucky sheriff charged in judge's killing may get evaluated for insanity defense Rockcastle County students overcome odds to bring a crucial resource to the county Jessamine County Schools announced a change in its policy in July, citing that phones are becoming 'too much of a distraction.' 'Our goal is to limit student distractions, negative teacher/student interactions, and decrease social media-fueled conflict by giving students the opportunity to disengage from cellphone use during class time,' school officials said. According to the new policy, all personal devices must have airplane mode activated and turned into a 'centralized location' within the classroom at the beginning of each class period. Devices will be returned to students at the end of each class period but not for in-class restroom breaks. Bourbon County Schools adopted a similar procedure. 'Kids could be texting each other, not focused on what the teacher is teaching. They could be playing a game on the phone; they could be watching someone on the phone on YouTube. They could be on social media, on the phone. I've seen it previously in other schools where it's been—it was an issue with that,' Bourbon Co. Middle School Principal Littleton Ward told FOX 56 in 2024. Read more of the latest Kentucky news A comparable bill was introduced last year that eventually died in the House. House Bill 208 was passed unanimously on Tuesday and will move on to the Senate for consideration. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
