SEATTLE — Seattle families are urging the state’s largest school district to pause the use of generative AI and address concerns about student-facing technology.
Some Seattle Public Schools (SPS) parents claim they they worry the use of this tech in school could be more harmful than helpful when it comes to student learning, and they want the option for their kids to have a paper alternative to using an iPad or a tablet.
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Families rallied outside district headquarters on Wednesday, urging SPS to form a committee to disclose ed tech products and student data collection to caregivers; get caregiver consent to use these products; allow paper-based alternatives and device opt-outs; and set grade-level screen-time limits.
Erica Shutes-David told KOMO News she was surprised when her then-kindergartener was given an iPad.
“I was told this is just the way it is. And that didn’t work for me. I wanted to know what the data was supporting it and ultimately chose to opt our son out,” Shutes-David explained. “I just think we all are seeing that AI is currently wildly untrustworthy and grooming kids to rely and trust on that source is dangerous and irresponsible, in my opinion.”
“I sent my child to school to learn and for his brain to develop and these tools are used to shortcut all of that thinking, and it doesn’t make sense to me that it’s being used in schools during these crucial developmental years,” Salmon Bay K-8 parent Ashley Worobec added. “The times [my fourth grade student] comes home excited are when there are hands-on projects.”
Superintendent Ben Shuldiner and most of the school board attended the rally, and director Liza Rankin told KOMO she’s excited to continue the conversation.
“I definitely want all kids to have the opportunity to be critical thinkers to figure out when things are in a tool versus when they need to use their own processing and point of view,” Rankin stated. “I know there’s a lot of alignment among the parents and the board here in that we want to make sure that our kids are learning at school and able to think and do, and be able to use technology but focus on their development.”
SPS does have time limits for student use of this technology and it blocks certain web content like YouTube, Minecraft and Gemini, according to a district presentation.
The district describes generative AI as “deep learning models that can create complex original content like long-form text, high-quality images, realistic video or audio” in response to the user’s prompt or request.
Some examples used in classrooms include Magic School, Amplify Science, Emerge, SuccessMaker Math, Lexia, enVision Mathematics, Lexia Core5, Sora, Schoology, Canva, and Book Creator.
Parents say they are frustrated with what they’re calling too much screen time replacing hands-on learning, lack of a districtwide cell phone policy, no clear governance over how AI is being used, and over-purchasing of digital programs.
The rally was planned before the school board’s informational study session about educational technology.
Directors are reviewing “guidance for developmentally appropriate, safe and purposeful technology and AI use” to support student learning. The presentation describes specific tools to help students expand reading comprehension, understand complex ideas, among other learning goals.
KOMO News asked the district about parents’ concerns. The school board presentation notes SPS is changing how it makes software decisions. It aims to have fewer overlapping applications and better support tools with help from an advisory committee.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
