Pause Generative AI in District 196 Schools Until It's Proven Safe

As concerned District 196 parents, educators, students, and community members, we are writing to respectfully request that District 196 implement a temporary moratorium on generative AI use in our schools.

This moratorium would pause new contracts for products or curricula that use large language models (LLMs), and temporarily suspend current use of student-facing AI apps, including Google Gemini, which has been deemed "high risk" for children by Common Sense Media. A moratorium would give District 196's governing board the time and space to conduct a thorough assessment of existing research on these tools in educational settings, carefully weighing the risks against the potential benefits. The safety and wellbeing of District 196 students deserves that level of care and attention.

There is a growing body of scientific research raising serious questions about AI use in schools. Studies suggest it may undermine the learning process and the human relationship between teachers and students. Researchers have linked AI use to increased cheating, and potential reductions in students' cognition, critical thinking, memory, motivation, persistence, and creativity. Concerns have also been raised about connections to depression and psychosis in young people. New studies are emerging regularly, and the picture is still developing. Notably, the only major meta-analysis to show a positive correlation between AI use and learning was recently retracted by its publisher, leaving the evidentiary case for AI in classrooms on uncertain footing.

Respected institutions have taken notice. The Brookings Institution conducted an exhaustive yearlong review of AI in education and concluded that "the risks of utilizing generative AI in children's education overshadow its benefits." The National Education Policy Center has called for school leaders to pause adoption of AI applications while policymakers develop appropriate legislation. The RAND Corporation's report on AI in K-12 education found no measurable teaching and learning gains from AI use. A coalition of hundreds of researchers, educators, and medical professionals published an open letter calling for a five-year moratorium on AI in schools. These are not fringe voices, they represent some of the most credible institutions in American education and public policy.

We also want to acknowledge the real concerns many parents have about the commercial nature of AI products, including questions about student data privacy, algorithmic bias, environmental impact, and the spread of misinformation. Schools have a responsibility to consider the sincere concerns of families -- including those with ethical or religious objections -- when introducing new technology into the classroom.

Preparing students for the future has always meant giving them strong foundations -- the ability to think critically, communicate clearly, and solve problems independently. There is no evidence that exposing children to generative AI tools in elementary or secondary school builds those foundations. What the evidence does suggest is that we may be trading long-term cognitive development for short-term technological familiarity. That is not preparation. A moratorium is not a step away from the future. It is a commitment to making sure our students arrive there ready. 

District 196 has an opportunity to model the kind of deliberate, student-centered leadership that other districts across the country will look to. We hope you will take it.

Signed,
196 Unplugged