Students and parents crowded the public comment line at last week’s Sarasota County School Board meeting, and most of them came with the same message: slow down on AI. Nearly a dozen speakers voiced concerns about the district’s proposed artificial intelligence policy, with Booker High School student Kennedy Cole calling out irresponsible AI use by both teachers and students and criticizing AI flyers at the arts-focused school for undercutting creativity.
The board voted to advertise the proposed policy changes for public review, which means the rules are not final. As drafted, the policy would permit AI for brainstorming and feedback and allow teachers to use it for lesson planning, while requiring students to acknowledge AI use and keeping human review in place for decisions about students. Board member Bridget Ziegler and her colleagues will hear more from the community before anything is locked in.
The pushback lines up with national data. A RAND survey found 67% of students believe using AI for schoolwork harms critical thinking, so the concerns raised in Sarasota echo what students are saying nationwide. With the review window now open, families across the Suncoast have a chance to shape how AI shows up in local classrooms. What would you want the district’s AI rules to say?
