November 11th, 2024
Tara Voigt
There’s a palpable tension around AI in education—it’s polarizing, with perspectives varying widely from department to department and teacher to teacher. AI is a "bad word" in education. Our fear of AI is obvious in the way we actively ban it from classrooms, even as it becomes part of our everyday world. It’s the ‘forbidden fruit’ of education—
Schools are scrambling to keep AI out, playing whack-a-mole as it pops up in the programs and tools we use daily. Many teachers and districts seem focused on shutting it down, seeing each instance as something to stamp out rather than an opportunity to prepare students for the real world.
Yet, for some educators, we see AI as a revelatory and something that can enrich teaching and learning. Using it, though, feels almost subversive—like we're part of an underground group that sees and understands AI's value. We share resources in whispers and talk about AI's impact in hushed tones, while students are publicly shamed and punished for using it.
District administrators, meanwhile, mostly meet AI with silence, as if ignoring it might make it disappear. But it won’t. AI is transforming our world, and by refusing to adapt, we aren’t protecting our students—we are stunting their growth.
Public schools have always been about closing gaps and preparing students for the world. With AI, that responsibility is even greater. Our wall of fear blocks students from essential technology—especially for those who rely on school as their only access point. How do we teach our students the language of AI if we never let them speak it?
Treating AI as a forbidden topic doesn't shield students from it; it leaves them unprepared to use it responsibly and effectively. It's like withholding sex education—does ignoring it reduce curiosity, or does it instead lead to risky, uninformed choices?
AI is already here and reshaping everything from jobs to our daily routines. As educators, we don't get to decide if AI moves forward. It will. The question is, will we help our students move forward with it, or stand by as opportunity—and their future—passes them by?
Comments