Statement on Senate Bill 181

As members of the Kentucky Student Voice Team, we are deeply concerned about the implications Senate Bill 181 will have on the strong, trust-based relationships that we, as students, build with educators and school staff. Caring and consistent relationships with trusted adults are critical for student success–academically, socially, and emotionally. For many young people, especially those navigating challenges outside the classroom, these informal connections are lifelines.

Let us be clear: Nothing in our support for student-adult partnerships suggests a tolerance for inappropriate behavior. Misconduct by adults in positions of power must always be taken seriously and addressed swiftly.

But SB 181 takes a punitive, one-size-fits-all approach that undermines healthy relationships and limits student and educator agency. In effect, it makes many students less safe. 

This bill creates barriers to the supportive relationships that help students thrive. It threatens to complicate intergenerational collaboration and dynamics; hamper youth participation in civic activities; and isolate students who rely on trusted coaches, club sponsors, and other educators for guidance and connection. 

The law also disproportionately harms student-led organizations like ours, which rely on collaboration between young people and adult partners in our schools. Whether organizing community forums, reporting on education news and issues, or coordinating education action research, our work depends on efficient, respectful, and often informal communication with educators that transcends the traditional school day. 

We call on school districts and the Kentucky Department of Education to implement SB 181 in a way that protects students’ rights to meaningful mentorship and civic action. And we urge the General Assembly to revisit this law with the insight of students and educators whose voices were left out of its drafting.