A growing movement wants AI out of schools
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America's two largest school districts both imposed sweeping AI bans this past week, hitting the brakes on a technology that's rapidly making its way into classrooms around the country.
Why it matters: Research on AI's educational value is mixed. Some studies have found personalized AI tutors can improve learning, while other research has linked AI-assisted essay writing to weaker critical thinking.
Driving the news: New York City's public school district blocked AI use for roughly 600,000 students in Pre-K through 8th grade, restricting it to specific uses for high school students.
What they're saying: Nicki Petrossi, a mother and co-founder of the Tech-Safe Learning Coalition, tells Axios one parent called today's kids "the guinea pig generation," adding, "you won't find a parent who's not concerned about this."
Between the lines: Bans may be hard to enforce because AI is already embedded in classroom technology.
The other side: Some educators warn sweeping bans could eliminate useful tools.
By the numbers: Teachers are worried AI is becoming an easy out for students, according to a recent NPR/Ipsos poll .
The bottom line: "The ed tech industry has a reckoning coming," Brendan Bouffard, associate general counsel at Fairplay, adding that multiple states are considering strong legislative guardrails.
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