AI in American Schools: Growing Parental Concerns

AI Takes Root in American Schools

In the United States, the introduction of artificial intelligence in elementary schools is becoming a hot topic of debate. AI programs are being used to teach fundamental subjects like reading and math. Proponents of this technology argue that it allows for personalized teaching tailored to the individual needs of students. However, this technological advancement does not convince everyone, especially among parents.

As a parent, I recently faced this reality when my third-grade son mentioned that he was using Google Gemini on his school-issued Chromebook to create funny images of poop and dinosaurs. Although this is technically against school rules, access to this tool was neither blocked nor restricted. This situation made me uncomfortable, as I would not allow such use at home.

Parents' Concerns

I am not the only parent worried about the introduction of AI in classrooms. In recent weeks, several articles about AI and Chromebooks in schools have sparked numerous discussions among parents. The tone of these conversations ranges from frustration to horror. A recent article in New York Magazine titled "Help! My kindergarten is all in on AI" detailed how AI programs are being used in some public schools in New York. Supporters claim they offer a new ability to customize lessons according to each child's needs.

However, some parents in New York are organizing and mobilizing against these programs. At an open meeting for parents to express their views on AI policy with the city's Department of Education, one parent accused the chancellor of "experimenting on our children." While there have been complaints about devices in classrooms for several years, the introduction of AI — which many adults are wary of — has exacerbated concerns.

Problematic Behaviors Related to AI

In The New Yorker, Jessica Winter examines how AI is integrated into K-12 education — particularly through mandatory programs on Chromebooks and iPads. She points out that no one seems to be asking the question: do we really want this? In the face of the mantra we hear repeatedly — that AI is already here and we just need to adapt — it is sometimes important to step back and ask these simple questions: Does it really work? Is it truly beneficial?

There are frankly unpleasant details in the article, such as a study showing that "one in five interactions between students and generative AI involved cheating, self-harm, harassment, and other problematic behaviors."

Reactions in Higher Education

Meanwhile, at the top of higher education, Princeton decided this week to have its exams monitored by proctors instead of its long-used honor system, where teachers typically left the room during tests. This follows concerns about widespread cheating related to AI.

A Broader Debate on Technology in the Classroom

It is not just AI that is under scrutiny. For a long time, I have been part of parent groups on social media where people complain about the apps their children are required to use, which claim to teach math or English. NBC has reported on parents' reactions to a common math program. Some parents say they will withdraw their children from this program and other technological initiatives in their schools.

I am not sure that all this technology is truly beneficial. It is still too early to say whether AI-assisted learning is good or bad, but computers in the classroom do not seem to be bringing us many benefits. The Educational Opportunity Project at Stanford University has released a new report showing that reading and math test scores are declining nationally, sometimes by an entire grade level compared to what they were in the same schools in 2015.

The reasons for this decline are complex — Covid likely had an impact — but screen time (at home and in class) is something many education observers continue to highlight.

As a parent who finished college at a time when our access to technology was limited to once a week in the computer lab to learn typing with Mavis Beacon, I am not digitally native enough to understand how all this classroom technology affects my children. And I am a technology-focused journalist! However, I see a growing concern among parents regarding the amount of screen time and technology that children use in public schools for their schoolwork. The school-issued Chromebooks, which were widely adopted during the pandemic and now seem here to stay, are a major target for this backlash.

Personally, I am skeptical about the value of Chromebooks, iPads, and AI tools compared to paper and pencil, especially in young students' classrooms. My personal stance is: yes to learning what AI is and how it works; no to its use for teaching math or reading.