Rye City School District officials have spent part of the summer deciding how big a role technology should have in the classroom. One thing they won’t be introducing, however, are robots.
The Salamanca City Central School District in upstate New York released a plan recently to introduce artificial intelligence-enabled humanoid robots into a high school classroom as a tutoring aid. The technology, named “Sally,” is apparently supposed to appear as 16- to 24-year-old person and is capable of interacting with students, explaining lessons and homework, and offering personalized classroom support.
But after New York state Sen. Shelley Mayer, who represents Rye in the state Legislature, introduced a bill last week banning humanoid robots in instructional roles statewide, Salamanca schools put their Sally pilot program on hold while officials “work through enhanced student data privacy agreements with the New York State Education Department and continue engaging with [our] community and stakeholders.”
The Rye City School District confirmed it is not planning to pursue humanoid robot aid in classrooms, and officials have spent this summer updating it policies and philosophies surrounding technology in the classroom. The policy update came after multiple parents expressed concern with the amount of screen time their kids still have in school.
But robots have not been a topic of conversation in Rye schools.
“These (humanoid robots) have the potential to foster inappropriate emotional attachments or relationships with students, and like any technology, cannot be used to replace the human interaction that is so critical,” Mayer said.
She acknowledged that AI technology “can be a valuable tool” in the classroom, but added “it can never replace the knowledge, compassion, and human connection that our educators and other staff bring to the classroom.”
Mayer’s legislation, if passed, would prohibit public and charter schools from using AI-enabled humanoid robots to perform the responsibilities of a teacher – including but not limited to leading classroom instruction, tutoring, assessing student performance, and grading homework.
“Teachers do far more than deliver information. They mentor, encourage, and help students build the social and emotional skills they need to succeed, something a humanoid robot can’t replace,” said Sen. Rachel May. “We must be thoughtful about how artificial intelligence is used in our schools, ensuring it supports education rather than replaces the human relationships that are essential to learning.”
