AI in the classroom prompts tide of concern from US parents and experts

A growing number of U.S. parents and child development experts are raising alarms over the use of artificial intelligence in schools, citing potential harm to cognitive development and a lack of evidence that the tools improve learning, according to a report by The Guardian [1]. In Bend, Oregon, more than 1,100 parents signed a petition in February urging the local school district to remove generative AI from students' devices [1]. The national children's advocacy group Fairplay released a statement in April calling for a five-year moratorium on "student-facing generative AI products" from preschool through 12th grade [1]. Kelly Clancy, a Brooklyn parent who founded Parents for AI Caution in Educational Spaces, is pushing New York City to institute a two-year moratorium on AI in its public schools [1]. "There is this overwhelming sense that ed tech companies are deciding what kids learn, and teachers are just being put into this position of tech support instead of driving the decisions about what is best for kids in terms of learning," Clancy said [1]. Forty per cent of K-12 teachers reported that their students use AI in the classroom at least once per week, according to a recent survey from National Public Radio and Ipsos [1]. MagicSchool, an AI platform for education, has contracts with districts across the country and offers a character chatbot and writing feedback tools [1]. Amanda Bickerstaff, CEO of AI for Education, said generative AI can help students by framing difficult content in relatable terms [1]. However, neuroscience and education experts argue that AI can cause "cognitive off-loading," where students avoid mental effort by relying on external aids [1]. A study published in 2025 in the journal Societies found that people ages 17 to 25 "exhibited higher dependence on AI tools and lower critical thinking scores compared to older participants" [1]. Stanford University reported in March that there was little evidence on how AI impacts K-12 education and that it is unclear whether AI is "helping students complete tasks or helping them develop durable learning and skills" [1]. Jared Cooney Horvath, a neuroscientist, noted that AI "was never designed to be a learning tool" and that digital tools for students with disabilities have existed for decades without generative AI [1]. "AI is now being confused with tech writ large without remembering that AI is basically brand new," Horvath said [1]. In New York City, more than half of the city council members issued a public letter this month calling for a two-year moratorium on AI use in schools, except for education on the risks of the technology [1]. The city also scrapped a plan to open an AI-focused high school after public outcry [1]. A New York City public schools spokesperson stated that the prior administration "hit the gas on AI without genuine family engagement" and that the new chancellor is developing a policy with "initial guardrails" [1]. The debate unfolds as members of Generation Z, born between 1997 and 2012, have been familiar with the internet and portable digital devices from a young age but are not necessarily digitally literate and tend to struggle in a digital workplace [2]. Concerns about screen time and social media's effects on mental health and social development have been widespread for this cohort [2].