Kentucky

Kentucky lawmakers pushing plan for school bus discipline — for students and parents

Published

2 years ago

March 1, 2024

Kentucky lawmakers pushing plan for school bus discipline — for students and parents

FRANKFORT — School bus drivers could soon get help in dealing with unruly students under a bill passed by the state House of Representatives on Friday.

Sponsored by Rep. Emily Callaway, R-Louisville, House Bill 446 would require local boards of education to adopt a transportation policy that includes behavioral standards for riding school buses and a clear disciplinary procedure for when students or their parents misbehave.

The policies would need to outline escalating consequences for student or parent misconduct, up to losing bus-riding privileges for severe or repeated misconduct.

Parents and students would also have to sign a document acknowledging the transportation policy within seven days of the first day of the student’s attendance at school.

Not signing the document could result in the student losing bus-riding privileges until the document is signed.

“Drivers have a huge responsibility, and we should respect and address concerns thoroughly,” Callaway said.

She added a section to the bill that would require districts to regulate parental conduct around school buses because school administrators requested it. The purpose is to provide “a clear notice to parents that aggressive behavior will have severe consequences and will not be tolerated,” Callaway said.

Students could lose their bus-riding privileges if their parents or guardians don’t behave. Examples of parent behavior would be injuring or threatening someone on a school bus, threatening or harming a school bus driver specifically and obstructing operations.

The busing crisis in Jefferson County Public Schools was a major impetus for the bill.

In November, the district was forced to cancel nearly 100 routes after bus drivers organized a sickout and 143 called off work. Among their biggest concerns was student behavior, according to drivers and John Stovall, president of the bus drivers’ union, Teamsters 783.

But bus discipline problems are not limited to Louisville: “As we unfolded this problem, we found the whole state is having this issue,” Rep. Kevin Bratcher, R-Louisville, said on the House floor on Friday.

The bill passed nearly unanimously on the House floor. Rep. Mark Hart, R-Falmouth, was the sole “no.” The measure now moves to the Senate for consideration.

What would HB 446 do?

If the bill is enacted, the Kentucky Department of Education would be required to develop a model transportation policy that school boards can use as a basis for their own policies. Under the bill, each district’s policy would need to include certain elements, including:

Student and parental behavior standards and a discipline structure of increasing consequences for bus misbehavior.
Procedures for documenting and investigating bus behavior problems and bullying, including details of how drivers can file written or electronic complaints about student or parental behavior.
A procedure for bus drivers to refuse to transport a student who puts the safety of the driver or other students on the bus at risk. The driver would notify a school district official and the student would be transferred to the custody of a district official, their parent or guardian, or law enforcement.
A requirement that drivers be heard during disciplinary procedures against students or parents for bus misbehavior. The driver’s recommendation would have to be considered in determining disciplinary action.
A requirement that drivers be notified of the outcome of disciplinary actions against students and that drivers have a process to receive alternative route assignments if a student has their bus-riding privileges restored after disciplinary action.

Jefferson County Public Schools has no comment on the bill, district spokesperson Carolyn Callahan said. The bus drivers’ union could not immediately be reached for comment.

How are students misbehaving on buses?

The Courier Journal obtained a list of bus referrals from JCPS for the 2022-23 school year, showing nearly 15,000 were issued to students across the system for a variety of reasons.

There were more than three-dozen types of offenses, including physical violence and drug use or possession.

Failure to remain seated on the bus was the most common offense, leading to more than 3,800 referrals, followed by fighting among students with 3,355. Nearly 2,500 students received referrals for horseplay, and there were more than 1,400 referrals for profanity or vulgarity toward students or staff.

“Somebody has got to be in charge. And when you’re talking about a bus rolling down I-65 or I-64, it’s got to be the bus driver,” Bratcher said on the House floor on Friday.

Another bus bill

A separate bus bill, HB 447, also sponsored by Callaway, gained House approval on Friday. That measure would allow school districts to use smaller, nine-passenger vehicles on daily bus routes.

Using the smaller vehicles will allow drivers without commercial driver’s licenses to transport students, Callaway said, which should help with the state’s bus driver shortage.

That bill also gained nearly unanimous House approval, with the sole “no” coming from Rep. David Meade, R-Stanford, and will now move to the Senate for consideration.

Reporter Krista Johnson contributed to this story. Reach Rebecca Grapevine at rgrapevine@courier-journal.com or follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @RebGrapevine.

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Kentucky

Ronald Exantus being transported back to Kentucky

Published

15 hours ago

October 28, 2025

Press Room

Ronald Exantus being transported back to Kentucky

OCALA, Fla. (WKYT) – The man convicted in the stabbing death of a 6-year-old who was arrested in Florida while serving mandatory re-entry supervision is headed back to Kentucky.

In a press conference on Tuesday that included Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, officials announced that Ronald Exantus is being transported back to Kentucky.

Ronald Exantus was charged with stabbing and killing Logan Tipton in 2015. While he was found not guilty of the child’s murder by reason of insanity, Exantus was convicted on three assault charges for stabbing other members of Logan’s family.

The court sentenced Exantus to a combined 20 years in prison.

Ronald Exantus(WKYT)

On October 1, The Department of Corrections released Exantus on mandatory re-entry supervision, overriding the parole board’s recommendation that he complete his full sentence behind bars. Exantus chose to service his mandatory re-entry supervision in Florida.

Exantus was arrested in Marion County, Florida on October 9. In a release, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said Exantus failed to register as a felon with the sheriff’s office within 48 hours as required by law.

WKYT is working to learn more details about the situation.

This is a developing story.

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Kentucky

Andre Woodson, Mike Hartline help Cutter Boley break through at Kentucky

Published

1 day ago

October 27, 2025

Press Room

Andre Woodson, Mike Hartline help Cutter Boley break through at Kentucky

It hasn’t been pretty for the Kentucky Wildcats on the football field this season, but one obvious bright spot comes in the form of a 6’5″ redshirt freshman quarterback out of Hodgenville in Cutter Boley. He entered the game late vs. Ole Miss and has started every outing since with one win and four losses, but steady growth leading to a breakthrough against Tennessee this past weekend.

Boley racked up 330 yards and five touchdowns on 26-35 passing with 31 rushing yards on seven carries, hitting marks matched by only four other SEC quarterbacks in the last 30 years. Tim Couch is the only other Kentucky gunslinger to throw for at least 330 yards and five touchdowns on 74-plus percent passing in a single game.

“He’s really done a phenomenal job with his presence in the pocket, and each and every week, he’s getting more and more confident in that,” Mark Stoops said during his call-in show Monday evening. “The other thing I think he’s really doing at a high level right now is he’s been exceptional at throwing the ball with accuracy on the move. Under duress, he’s gotten way better since the first game of the year this year that he started, and then in trusting that he’s going to have some protection. …

“He’s been hanging in there when he has to hang in the pocket, but he’s escaping at times, and then he’s been remarkably accurate when he’s on the move.”

Seeing so many quarterbacks torch the Kentucky defense this year, along with coming up with game plans for all of the opposing greats to come and go over the years, Stoops is grateful to have an elite one on his sideline that others have to figure out.

“Cutter is a tough young man, and he’s getting bigger and stronger. He has a very good feel for that pocket right now. That’s been fun because, as a defensive guy, to coach a lot of defenses, that’s very aggravating when you feel like you got things matched up really well and pretty decent pressure, and you escape and make something happen.”

What if I told you not one, but two former Wildcats are helping Boley in that ongoing breakthrough?

Andre Woodson, who threw for 9,360 yards and 81 touchdowns as a two-time All-SEC selection in his four-year career in Lexington, has built a relationship with the redshirt freshman as he’s found his footing. From one in-state kid to another, the Radcliff native has been in Boley’s shoes and wants to help him live up to that superstar potential in the blue and white.

“I know Andre reached out to him and talked to him, and I appreciate that. With Andre — you know, these guys care about Kentucky. They care about how we play and want to see a guy like Cutter develop. It’s been good.”

It’s not just Woodson, though. In fact, there is a former player in that building taking Boley under his wing as a hands-on mentor — the guy who actually followed No. 3 in Lexington, suiting up from 2007-2010. Mike Hartline, who threw for 5,680 yards and 38 touchdowns during his time at Kentucky, is now an offensive quality control coach on Stoops’ staff.

What Bush Hamdan doesn’t have time for as offensive coordinator, Hartline steps in to do the heavy lifting with Boley’s development. Without him, we don’t see the current on-field success for the kid from Hodgenville.

“Another one that has made a big difference for him is Michael Hartline,” Stoops said. “I tell you, Michael does a really good job. Bush has a lot on his plate and a lot to work on, and we’re up there all hours, day and night, but a lot of times when Cutter comes in, he spends one-on-one time with Michael. He’s really done a good job, he’s been a great addition to our staff.

“It’s another UK guy that cares about this place, and I’m very impressed with him. He’s a great coach, and he’s really helped us, and he’s helped Cutter.”

Two great Kentucky quarterbacks, but can Boley be better? He’s already up to 1,553 yards and 11 touchdowns with five games to go as a redshirt freshman — then three more years of eligibility.

Things are starting to stick for the kid.

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Kentucky

LSU fires Brian Kelly, owes $53 million buyout

Published

2 days ago

October 26, 2025

Press Room

LSU fires Brian Kelly, owes million buyout

The dominoes are falling in the SEC, the latest potentially impacting Kentucky in terms of candidates should the Wildcats move on from Mark Stoops. LSU has fired head coach Brian Kelly, according to On3’s Pete Nakos, coming off the Tigers’ 49-25 loss to Texas A&M to fall to 5-3 on the season.

It’s been an all-day back-and-forth leading to the breakup Sunday night, conversations taking place earlier regarding staff changes and a potential parting of ways, Nakos ultimately reporting Kelly’s status was “in limbo” and “in flux” in Baton Rouge. Those “high-level discussions” included officials within the athletic department, executives at the university, and even Gov. Jeff Landry.

Kelly was in his fourth season at LSU after signing a 10-year, $95 million deal back in 2021. With a combined record of 34-14 and 19-10 in the SEC, including 10-win seasons in each of his first two seasons, he will be owed a $53 million buyout — the second-largest in college football history, behind only former Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher.

He joins James Franklin (Penn State) and Billy Napier (Florida) as Power 4 coaches fired during the 2025 season with 12 total FBS jobs already open.

What does that mean for Kentucky, now 2-5 on the year and 0-5 in conference play coming off an embarrassing 56-34 loss to Tennessee? Lane Kiffin has been a rumored target for not only Florida, but also LSU — the latter potentially more of a threat to reel him in from Oxford. Where would the Gators go from there? Franklin and Kelly are free agents, but Louisville’s Jeff Brohm is a name that has been tossed around. Would Oregon OC Will Stein return home to coach at his alma mater as a former Card? That would take a big-time target for the Wildcats off the table. Where does Jon Sumrall fit into all of this? Does UF go after the Tulane head coach? Does he replace Kiffin at Ole Miss?

Needless to say, the coaching carousel is spinning out of control with Kentucky potentially in the market for a new leader.

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