The Jefferson County Board of Education voted to ban students from using cellphones during school hours on Tuesday night. This ban comes after legislation was passed this year that requires districts to adopt cellphone policies. Parents and administrators chose from three options in a survey, and the district adopted the strictest one. While this is new for the entire district, it's not new for Fern Creek High School. The school instituted a similar policy this year.When students arrive to school, they put their phone in a pouch that then locks. At the end of the day, they have the ability to access magnets that open the pouches. "It has changed the relationships that kids have with one another, with the adults in the building, with themselves," said Rebecca Nichols, the principal at Fern Creek High School. "It has truly been probably the most substantial move that I've ever made as an educator to take phones out of the classroom."In the case of an emergency, she says they have safety scissors in each classroom to cut open the pouches. There are also phone "safe" spaces. The new policy adopted by the district on Tuesday night does not specify if students will lock their phones in a pouch as well. Instead, Superintendent Marty Pollio says that how the policy is implemented will be up to the schools. The board passed the measure 6-1. Linda Duncan, who voted against the measure, says a survey sent out by the district to parents and educators, found a majority of parents were not in favor of a total ban. It showed that 59% of principals at middle and high schools wanted a complete ban, but only 30% of parents felt the same way. Instead, most parents said they'd like to see their kids be able to use their phones during lunch and in between classes. Duncan also says she's seen other bans before, and total bans can be hard to enforce. We also looked at several other local school systems, including Oldham, Hardin, and Nelson counties. All districts have the required guidelines that devices cannot disrupt instruction. There are consequences for violating policy and exceptions for emergencies. Most policies also stress that parents must reach out through the school office, not directly to students, and they have restrictions on taking pictures, video, or audio, and sharing inappropriate content. In Hardin County, phones must be turned off during the day, but they allow phone use outside the building or after dismissal.In Oldham County, parents are encouraged not to text or call during the school day. And in Nelson County, phones are not banned, but there are strict punishments for recording and sharing inappropriate images or videos. West Jessamine High School in Nicholasville also has a phone policy, but they did not institute a total ban. Instead, kids can use the phone at lunch and in between classes. "You're going to have your phone wherever you go, and have it at jobs and college, and what you're doing at the next level," said principal Bradly Thorton. "So you've got to learn to manage it in the right way. And it also isn't very realistic from a parent standpoint, because parents are used to now, to be able to communicate with their kids all day long if necessary."JCPS's policy will go into effect during the 2025-26 school year.