Senate Bill 181 requires school staff and volunteers to communicate with students only in traceable ways, though the law does allow parents to grant consent for other forms of communication. Kentucky Education Association President Joel Wolford said some teachers are worried about out-of-school connections with students – including through church.
“They serve as Sunday school teachers, youth group leaders, youth pastors, sometimes as primary pastors of a church. They direct church plays in Bible school, they coach youth sports. They often hire high school students to mow their yards, wash their vehicles or to babysit their kids.”
Another group with concerns about SB 181 is Kentucky Teachers in the Know, a group founded by Rowan County special education teacher Allison Slone. Slone said they met with Governor Beshear last Wednesday to share several concerns:
“Some of the impacts are that families that have stepchildren, so a step-parent that may have a child living in their home that that's not their biological child can't even text or message their own child.”
Beshear spokeswoman Scott Ellis issued a statement saying, “As a dad of two children in Kentucky public schools, and the governor of an education-first administration, Gov. Beshear is committed to supporting Kentucky teachers and students. The governor did have a good meeting with Kentucky Teachers In the Know. He is taking their concerns seriously.”
Joel Wolford says the KEA had good meetings with the bill’s sponsor, Republican state Senator Lindsey Tichenor, including one Monday morning. Tichenor said lawmakers will consider revising the law next session, including changing its definitions of parents and family members.
“Looking also at addressing the volunteer definition and making sure we're focused on volunteers who are in the schools on a regular basis, as opposed to a parent that might go on a field trip, or more involved volunteers.”
