School district makes dramatic U-turn on AI, banning it across all grades weeks after Google Gemini rollout

[midian182]

What just happened? Another school district has banned AI from being used in the classroom by students across all grades. While this isn't the first ban of its kind that we've seen, what's interesting is that it was introduced just weeks after the district started piloting Google Gemini for older students.

Frederick County became the latest school district to ban AI use in the classroom this week, voting 6-1 to restrict the technology from pre-K through 12th grade.

Initially, the board considered only banning AI for younger students, but eventually extended the ban through high school.

There are some instances when AI can still be used in the classroom, including lessons about the technology and accommodations for students with disabilities.

The decision marks a sharp turnaround by the district. The board had allowed middle and high school students to use Google Gemini, with teacher permission, during this school year, despite other AI platforms being blocked on school devices.

But board members expressed concern about the move. One said it was frustrating to see Gemini rolled out without any warning to parents, given that AI has been used to generate inappropriate images of students and bully others, and has generated "bad advice from a mental health standpoint."

There were also concerns about AI's impact on children, as well as teachers' inability to disable Gemini on student devices.

Scott Murphy, the district's director of curriculum and instruction, said Gemini was chosen because it was the only tool the board evaluated and found to meet the state's high standards for safety and privacy.

Justin Heid, president of the Frederick County Education Association, said that several educators are returning to traditional paper-and-pencil assignments instead of computer-based work because they are concerned students might use AI to complete their work. It's a strategy that some have been using since ChatGPT exploded in popularity three years ago.

While many parents have supported the ban, pointing out that kids can rely on AI as a crutch, others say a ban this extensive could have a negative impact on their future and leave them less prepared for college.

This isn't the first ban of its kind, though it is one of the stricter. New York City banned AI for elementary and middle school students last month, while the Los Angeles school district is also temporarily blocking access to generative AI tools on student devices across all grades.

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School district makes dramatic U-turn on AI, banning it across all grades weeks after Google Gemini rollout

 

[ScottSoapbox]

"leave them less prepared for college" LOL!

Learning to think for yourself without an AI crutch is the best way to prepare for college!

(And I say that as a Prof.)

Schools will no doubt find some sort of middle ground eventually, but banning/limiting AI for a couple of years while figuring it out won't hurt anyone (well except AI company's profits).

 

[Megalomaniac]

AI is an absolute Godsend for teachers.
AI can instantaneously read a selected article and make up multiple choice or short answer questions for it.
AI can instantaneously grade multiple choice question tests.
AI can instantaneously produce quizzes, tests, lesson plans and even unit plans.

AI can cut a teacher's job in half if they know how to use it right - while still giving them the data, data analysis and individual student monitoring they need.

Google Gemini does it for free.

AI can easily be used by students who "know where to go to use it" but because so many of these students don't understand the fundamentals of computing, many of them can't take advantage of it even if you borrowed Cortana from Master Chief.

College, itself is a breeze now so long as you avoid STEM fields.

Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine fields, themselves, are being threatened by AI.

In some cases, you're better off learning technical skills such as welding, plumbing, electrician, carpentry and other forms of building construction / engineering.

I had to have that long talk with my cousin in fact who got into trucking only to realize that it's a young man's job. He's using AI to search for jobs in cybersecurity because he thinks that's his next move and I'm telling him otherwise. He's had no luck finding one and is still on unemployment after back surgery. AI is gonna kill a lot of those jobs.

College Readiness at this point should more focus on keeping kids near home so they can use their home resources, reducing the amount of student loans they take, focusing on getting degrees that will turn them a profit in the future and focusing on student loan payoff so they can quickly eliminate their debt and improve their credit for the future insurance and other credit-related financial investments they'll need to make.

 

[magoid]

AI is an absolute Godsend for teachers.
AI can instantaneously read a selected article and make up multiple choice or short answer questions for it.
AI can instantaneously grade multiple choice question tests.
AI can instantaneously produce quizzes, tests, lesson plans and even unit plans.

AI can cut a teacher's job in half if they know how to use it right - while still giving them the data, data analysis and individual student monitoring they need.

Google Gemini does it for free.

AI can easily be used by students who "know where to go to use it" but because so many of these students don't understand the fundamentals of computing, many of them can't take advantage of it even if you borrowed Cortana from Master Chief.

College, itself is a breeze now so long as you avoid STEM fields.

Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine fields, themselves, are being threatened by AI.

In some cases, you're better off learning technical skills such as welding, plumbing, electrician, carpentry and other forms of building construction / engineering.

I had to have that long talk with my cousin in fact who got into trucking only to realize that it's a young man's job. He's using AI to search for jobs in cybersecurity because he thinks that's his next move and I'm telling him otherwise. He's had no luck finding one and is still on unemployment after back surgery. AI is gonna kill a lot of those jobs.

College Readiness at this point should more focus on keeping kids near home so they can use their home resources, reducing the amount of student loans they take, focusing on getting degrees that will turn them a profit in the future and focusing on student loan payoff so they can quickly eliminate their debt and improve their credit for the future insurance and other credit-related financial investments they'll need to make.

And now we have AI comments on Techspot.

 

[magoid]

I know some university professors and they say the overall quality of students is decreasing. Lazy students always existed, but their numbers increased considerably fueled by AI. It is too easy to ask one to do your homework for you.

And obviously, when those bastards manage to get out of school, they are surprised their diplomas could not get them a job, after failing miserably at face to face job interviews.

 

[Lowhangingfruit]

All the positive things about AI are true, but "cognitive surrender" is also very true and very real. Or another way to put it "slippery slope of laziness". I see it every day at work. People start little by little using it, and then within a few months they're having AI do all of the work for them with zero critical thinking.

All species are wired to pick the path of least resistance when trying to accomplish a task. Why would you do laundry by hand when you can just throw it all in a machine and press one button and have it do it for you.

It is very very hard to use AI just as a helpful tool and not give in completely to automation. Young people certainly don't have enough experience to know when to use it and when to use their own brain. Even most adults can't self-regulate on how much they rely on it.

 

[Megalomaniac]

I know some university professors and they say the overall quality of students is decreasing. Lazy students always existed, but their numbers increased considerably fueled by AI. It is too easy to ask one to do your homework for you.

And obviously, when those bastards manage to get out of school, they are surprised their diplomas could not get them a job, after failing miserably at face to face job interviews.

AI is new.

Lazy students were created by helicopter parents who gave them smartphones, allowed them to doomscroll all day long and didn't make them do or participate in anything. The high schools adjusted by simply passing them on towards college. A lot of them have diplomas from their HS and can't read or count. That wasn't AI.

 

[ScottSoapbox]

All the positive things about AI are true, but "cognitive surrender" is also very true and very real. Or another way to put it "slippery slope of laziness". I see it every day at work. People start little by little using it, and then within a few months they're having AI do all of the work for them with zero critical thinking.

All species are wired to pick the path of least resistance when trying to accomplish a task. Why would you do laundry by hand when you can just throw it all in a machine and press one button and have it do it for you.

It is very very hard to use AI just as a helpful tool and not give in completely to automation. Young people certainly don't have enough experience to know when to use it and when to use their own brain. Even most adults can't self-regulate on how much they rely on it.

I believe AI magnifies people's tendencies. High performers are using it to do even more, lazy people are using it to do even less.

But the real issue is perceived outcome. Students let AI do the work because they think the outcome is a grade in a class they don't think matters, when in reality the outcome is a skill they will need for work (assuming the class does matter).

Similarly many people don't actually see how their work at the office fits into creating value for the customer and therefore it's just a widget they make for pay so why not let the robot make the widget for me (but still want to get paid which is ironic).