Schools: Complaints and Moratoriums Requested Against Google's AI

Protests have erupted in several cities as a 13-year-old student sues Google over the use of Gemini on a school-issued Chromebook. In Chicago, organizations and a school board member are calling for a moratorium, highlighting the opacity surrounding data and the lack of a search mode without AI.

A 13-Year-Old's Lawsuit Targets Gemini and Fuels Dissent

In Durham, North Carolina, a 13-year-old student, "Emma Doe," has filed a lawsuit against Google. According to the complaint, she used Gemini on a school-provided Chromebook without her parents being informed, and Google allegedly kept them in the dark deliberately. An "AI psychosis" is mentioned, with claims that the chatbot encouraged Emma to plan her suicide and funeral. The school alerted the family after an internal system detected a conversation titled "Funeral," which helped avert a tragedy. The lawsuit also accuses Google of exploiting its dominant position in educational technology, introducing Gemini on Chromebooks, and falsely presenting them as safe. Allegations suggest that Google deleted chat logs. The case has contributed to protests in Durham, Boston, Boulder, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Portland.

Chicago District Claims No Student Access to Generative AI

Cassie Creswell, executive director of Illinois Families for Public Schools, reports that the Chicago district officially claims that children do not have access to generative AI tools and that no dedicated policy is necessary due to existing guidelines. However, after reviewing contracts between Google and the district, she believes that students are interacting with generative AI and advanced models. As a result, parents are demanding a formal AI policy to be voted on by the school board and developed with input from teachers, parents, students, and independent industry experts. Creswell notes that many parents are dissatisfied with Google's lack of clarity regarding the handling and use of school data. She has obtained and reviewed dozens of agreements through information requests, finding no indications of how data is managed by partners like Google, Anthropic, and OpenAI. She considers it plausible that AI is inextricably integrated into Search but reminds that families want to know how their children's data is used in Google's models. Concerns extend beyond Google, but the company's significance in education leads parents to focus on these systems.

Towards Local Moratoriums on AI in Schools

Illinois Families for Public Schools is calling for a moratorium on AI while assessing risks and adopting a protection policy within Chicago's public schools. The goal is to avoid potential learning setbacks or other adverse effects related to AI bots. If this request is successful, Chicago would join Los Angeles and New York in a cautious ban on AI in schools. In Chicago, recently re-elected school board member Karen Zaccor is also advocating for a moratorium after gathering testimonies from colleagues and community members reporting an apparent decline in reading, math, and writing skills among graduates. This momentum follows the withdrawal in August of a Gemini pilot that reportedly involved all high school students in the district without parental consultation.

No AI-Free Search Available: Google's Responses

Google has confirmed that there is no way for students to use Search without an AI component, while claiming to offer more choices by default disabling Search, Gemini, and Gemini Notebook for institutions. The lack of an AI-free search option forces students to add "-ai" to every query, a workaround that concerns some parents. The company states it aims to continue a thorough dialogue with educators to provide more choices, controls, and improved search for learning. Google's public statements focus on documented effects on learning, announcing a new pilot that plans step-by-step support through AI Mode and AI Previews to avoid delivering quick answers to homework.

On the Ground: Seven Cities Mobilized, Chicago at the Forefront

Protests took place Wednesday in seven cities, driven by families who refuse to let their children become guinea pigs and dependent on AI. In Chicago, despite the rain and cold, dozens marched to Google's office chanting slogans against Gemini. The group Illinois Families for Public Schools is coordinating part of this mobilization. Its director, Cassie Creswell, who has been following edtech issues for over a decade, claims to be surprised by the direction of Google's AI initiatives.