Pause Generative AI in APS Schools Until It's Proven Safe

As concerned Atlanta parents, educators, students, and community members, we request an immediate moratorium on generative AI use in Atlanta Public Schools. We call on the APS board to be proactive rather than reactive, potentially backpedaling as with screen time. 

This moratorium would prohibit new contracts for products or curricula that use AI systems or LLMs, and hit pause on current use of student-facing AI apps, including (but not limited to) Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini, which has been deemed "high risk" for children by Common Sense Media. A moratorium would allow the Board of Education’s Policy Committee 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. This work must not be rushed, and the safety of APS students must supersede all other considerations. It is hard to sail the ship while building it. Until a thorough AI policy is in place, it would be irresponsible to continue allowing the children of Atlanta to use this untested technology.

There is a growing body of scientific research raising serious questions about AI use in schools. Studies suggest it undermines 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.

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 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 mining, algorithmic racial biases, environmental impact, and the spread of misinformation. APS has 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, safely.

In the face of all these concerns, the onus is on the tech companies and their defenders to prove their products are safe and effective for classroom use. Until & unless they do, there can be no justification for rushing AI adoption. Schools Beyond Screens and Distraction Free Schools propose student access to any generative AI tools, apps, websites (including Google AI Overview), and software on all school-issued devices be disabled until this technology has been proven safe, legal, and effective, and until age-appropriate guidelines are established.

There is a feeling among Schools Beyond Screens and Distraction Free Schools members across Georgia, that whatever APS ends up doing, so too will other Georgia districts. APS has an opportunity to model the kind of deliberate, student-centered leadership that other districts across the state and country will look to. We hope you will take it.