LAUSD drops hammer on AI technology in schools with shocking decision to board members

Los Angeles Unified just pulled the plug on student use of generative AI, and some school board members apparently didn’t see it coming.The district has imposed a moratorium for the current school year, blocking students from using generative AI on district devices until further notice.The surprise decision surfaced this week as a board committee began examining AI use in schools.The biggest twist, the school board itself never approved the moratorium.Senior district administrators imposed it on their own authority, saying the move was made in the spirit of the board’s unanimous June vote to limit student screen time.Under that policy, students have no access to screens until second grade, with permitted screen use expanding as children get older.Board member Kelly Gonez said she believed the district was still operating under its previous AI policy, which allowed older students to use the technology after completing instructional units on digital literacy and responsibility.“I, even as a board member,” was “under the expectation that we were still operating under last year’s policy,” Gonez said, according to the LA Times.“The fact that it’s different today, this school year, is important.”“Breaking news here in the committee,” she said.Board Member Nick Melvoin was also caught off guard.He did not object to the temporary ban itself, but questioned why such a major decision had not come from the board.“If the policy is we’re not going to allow students [to] use generative AI for the meantime, then we should publicize that,” Melvoin said.

“But also, that didn’t really come from the board, so I’m of two minds on that right now … just expressing some discomfort.”The LAUSD move came as New York City announced its own AI crackdown.The city will bar student-facing generative AI tools, including chatbots and prompt-based tutors, from preschool through eighth grade during the current school year.The restriction affects nearly 600,000...