BOURBON COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — Several new laws went into effect this school year in Kentucky, including a school communication law that bans electronic communication between employees and students outside of designated platforms.
"Safety of kids is our number one priority," said Dr. Larry Begley, superintendent of Bourbon County Schools.
That priority is exactly the intent of Senate Bill 181, which puts a major emphasis on improving school safety. The bill, which went into effect June 27, mandates all electronic communication between staff, coaches, volunteers and students be conducted through designated, traceable platforms.
"The intent of the law is beautiful, to keep kids safe, but the time aspect did cause a lot of frustrations and panic almost," Begley said.
Begley said there was very little time to get a board-approved platform purchased, but once coming to an agreement, the program was quickly implemented throughout the district.
"Bourbon County bought a program called Apptegy, sort of like a text messaging system but it has a traceable aspect to it," Begley said. "You can't delete. You can't delete history and it is always there."
One of the biggest challenges, Begley said, is breaking old habits that society has created through cell phones and social media.
"Because when you get comfortable with something, it's so easy and you get instant feedback, and anytime you introduce anything that is different and it creates breaking a habit type situation, it does become frustrating," Begley said.
The bill is also designed to reinstate guardrails that used to exist in school communication.
"What I think will happen out of this is it has to become at least a deterrent. Putting focus on it, putting intentional priority on this growing situation of inappropriate communication and bringing eyes on it, I believe that deterrent factor has already shown some wins," Begley said.
