AFT President Urges Bans on Screens, Student-Facing AI for Youngest Learners
The 1.8 million-member union wants enforceable guardrails, independent safety research, and teacher training as it pushes back on student-facing AI.
- On Wednesday, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten called for restrictions on classroom technology, including a ban on screens for pre-K through 2nd grade and student-facing AI in elementary schools.
- Weingarten cited research from neuroscientist Jared Cooney Horvath, who found 4th and 8th grade scores declined following educational technology adoption, declaring students are "drowning in tech."
- Part of a "Devices down, eyes up, hands-on" 10-point plan, the union proposed taxing big tech companies to fund independent research while demanding "gold standards" for safety and privacy.
- White House spokesman Davis Ingle criticized the proposal, asserting the AFT pushed for Covid-era restrictions and should not dictate student needs, as the administration prioritizes expanding ethical AI use in schools.
- Momentum for curbing classroom technology is growing globally, with at least 38 states restricting mobile phones and countries like Sweden shifting back to printed textbooks to address literacy drops.
11 Articles
11 Articles
Teachers Union Demands Restrictions on Screen Time
The president of the American Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten, is urging classrooms to ditch technological learning environments and reduce screen time. “We are at a crossroads that will define the future of work and society,” she said. “Without proper oversight and strong guardrails, there will be real dangers to our safety, privacy, climate and the very fabric of society.” Weingarten added that she is “not calling for a total ban on A…
Teachers Union President Calls for Restrictions on AI Use, Screen Time in Classroom
The head of the nation’s second-largest teachers union on May 27 called for a ban on digital learning environments for younger children and said artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots should not be available to any students under 16. American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, speaking at the National Press Club event, said these restrictions are part of a “Devices Down, Eyes Up, Hands-On” initiative to boost teaching and learning…
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