Leave AI Out of Education

Artificial intelligence is becoming more and more popular as new tools become available, with more schools turning to AI every day. Some believe AI will help teachers and offer personalized learning for students, but the issue is more complicated. Although the technology appears useful, it often prohibits genuine learning. K-12 schools should avoid using AI because it makes cheating easier, reduces the quality of learning, and it weakens the entire premise of education. In my opinion, the biggest problem with AI is how easily it can be used to cheat. With models like ChatGPT and Claude, difficult problems that would once require the student to think and apply reasoning is now handed to them in a matter of seconds. For students under pressure, it can be impossible to resist. Many teachers believe these tools create more problems than they solve (Pew Research Center, 2024). That’s a view that reflects what a teacher has to deal with in the classroom. Simply stated, when a student turns in a work that a computer created, it shows they skipped the work needed to actually learn.

Now, of course cheating isn’t new, but these tools make it harder to catch. The results sound natural and well-written. In my own profession as a software developer, I find that my job is continuously at odds with developers who simply have AI generate the code for them. Tools made to identify these AI-generated monstrosities often fail (they’re fairly unreliable). This creates unfair conditions. Honest students will often get flagged for cheating, teachers begin to question the work they receive, and cheaters don’t learn anything useful. Once this trust breaks down, it becomes harder for education to remain safe and fair.

Another issue is how these tools augment learning habits. Greene-Harper (as cited in eLearning Industry, 2023) argues that even though AI may save time, it completely negates the need to think deeply. We often miss the value of working through difficult questions when we’re handed easy answers. The chance to make mistakes and correct them is part of the learning process. Students face losing the ability to solve problems on their own, which is criminal.

Learning is hard. It takes time, dedication, patience, and great effort. Writing a paper and correcting the mistakes made writing it, or figuring out a tough equation helps students become better thinkers. If a computer does the work for them, they’re missing out on that process. Sure, the grades are fantastic, but they don’t have the tools for success within them. They’ll always be dependent on AI to excel. Maybe this was the intention behind its invention?

Enough picking on the students. Let’s talk about the teachers. AI seriously inhibits the role of the teacher in a way that can hurt students as well. Teachers offer more than instructions. They notice when someone is struggling. They change how they teach depending on the needs of their students, or at least I should hope that they do. They encourage and support growth, but above all, they position the student to be successful. A machine cannot respond to emotional needs or understand when a student needs a kind word or extra help. They’re not useful for determining if a student might have ADHD or dyscalculia. What if the student is dyslexic and nobody caught it?

Some students need these moments to feel motivated and accepted. Some students need these moments to see that they’re in need of a different form of teaching. One might need an adult to listen to them and take them seriously. Another might need a teacher to see their struggles. These experiences matter. If machines replace teachers in these moments, schools may become impersonal and disconnected. That’s the least of our worries in that event.

AI can also spread wrong or even harmful ideas. AI pulls its information from the Internet, which is full of mistakes and unfair opinions. If students rely on this output without questioning it, they may believe things that are incorrect. Teachers cannot check everything students use, and many students are not yet able to discern good information from “fake news”.

Grading with AI is risky for obvious reasons. A student who writes in a style that reflects their background could be misunderstood by AI and receive an unfair score. It’s happened! These machines cannot judge effort or progress the way a person can. Schools are responsible for making sure every student is treated fairly. AI can’t guarantee that.

What about privacy? AI often collects large amounts of information to work properly. That might include writing samples, personal habits, and other private details. The more data AI collects, the higher the chance something goes wrong. Families may not know what is being tracked or how it will be used later. Teachers will be just as much in the dark. Without strict protections, that’s a serious concern.

Supporters argue that AI will save teachers time and help adjust lessons for each student. Sure, that sounds incredibly helpful, but it can’t replace the understanding and connection that comes from real human relationships. There’s no possible way that AI could ever replace human interaction on a meaningful level.

School isn’t about navigating through tasks. It’s where young people learn how to think. They learn how to ask the right questions. They learn how to work with others. One does not learn these skills overnight. It takes time. If learning becomes too quick or too easy, students will stop thinking for themselves. They may begin to prefer shortcuts instead of truly understanding what’s in front of them. Worse than that, their opinions and their world views will be “up for grabs”, as Carl Sagan would have put it.

As more schools think about whether to use AI, great care should be taken. Teachers have already spoken out about the problems they’ve seen. Their concerns deserve attention. Schools should focus on learning that lasts and not quick fixes that sound good on the surface. I would even go as far as to say making learning easier isn’t always better.

AI does not belong in classrooms. It makes it easier to cheat, prevents real learning, replaces the humans that students rely on, and places their privacy at risk. Students need time, support, and human beings who care about their growth. Students need to be challenged and encouraged by those around them. That can’t happen with AI. Schools should remain places where students can grow through shared effort and real connections.

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