As artificial intelligence continues to permeate workplaces, homes, and schools, educators across the United States remain divided on how to approach the technology in classrooms. The central question is whether teachers should encourage students to use AI language models like ChatGPT or enforce a complete ban.
The Current State of AI in Schools
Research published last October by College Board revealed that AI use is more prevalent than ever in America's high schools, driven by tools such as ChatGPT. The study found that 84 percent of students reported using generative AI tools to help with their schoolwork, and this trend is continuing to grow. Half of high school students use AI to brainstorm ideas, edit or revise essays, and conduct research.
Shelby Reynolds, assistant director of instructional technology and library services in Washington's Northshore School District, believes it is essential to teach students how to use AI properly. "I think we owe it to our students and kids of this generation," she told The Independent. "If we're going to do our due diligence, we should be using the safety of the walled gardens of our classrooms to educate them in ways that will support them when they walk out into the world."
Mandatory AI Literacy on the Rise
While mandatory AI literacy training is not yet widespread nationwide, a growing number of high schools and school districts are beginning to enforce it. Boston Public Schools announced plans to ensure all high school students graduate with AI literacy training. Atlanta Public Schools now automatically enrolls all seniors in a foundational AI Essentials course, and Irvine Unified School District has introduced AI literacy lessons for students in grades 4 through 12.
Opposition to AI Integration
Not everyone is happy about the integration of AI at an early age. In March, more than 1,500 parents and educators in New York signed a petition calling for a ban on AI in classrooms, organized by the AI Moratorium Coalition. The coalition highlighted that the long-term effects on how children learn, think, and develop in the era of AI are not fully understood.
Liat Olenick, a teacher and program director for Climate Families NYC, which is part of the coalition, expressed concerns about cognitive development. "All the research suggests that AI use can harm the development of the brain and children's ability to learn and retain what they're learning," she told The Independent.
Research on AI's Impact
A 2024 study involving 1,000 students in Pennsylvania found that those who had access to ChatGPT solved 48 percent more practice math problems correctly. However, the same group ultimately scored 17 percent less in a test than those who had not been helped by the AI, with researchers describing the chatbot as a "crutch."
Kelly Clancy, of Parents for AI Caution in Educational Spaces, also part of the AIM coalition, argued that students are arriving at college without fundamental skills. "Using AI is the easiest thing in the world to do. What they need to learn is all of that hard stuff first," she said.
The Urgency of AI Literacy
Jared Greene, Academic Director at Inspirit AI, which provides AI literacy programs from kindergarten through university, stressed the urgency of proper training. "I think this stuff is so urgent. In an ideal world, I would want to see this kind of thing made curricular yesterday," he told The Independent. "I remember growing up it was required that we had to learn how to type. That's a foundational skill because at some point you're gonna end up in front of a computer. I think this is as fundamental as that."
Inspirit partners with over 250 schools across the U.S. and worldwide, including Northshore School District. Last summer, Reynolds organized a two-week "AI camp" focusing on AI literacy and real-world application.
Parallels with Cell Phone Bans
Olenick draws a parallel with the recent cell phone ban in New York schools imposed by Governor Kathy Hochul. "Many people feel like [the cell phone ban] came 10 years too late. We don't want to be in that position with AI, five to 10 years from now, where we've done tremendous harm to a generation of students, and we had the opportunity to pause before the harm was done," she concluded.
