Resolution calling for a moratorium on AI in NYC public schools until rigorous guidelines are enacted to prevent harm to students

This reso as an editable word doc is here.

Draft resolution calling for a moratorium on use of AI in NYC public schools until rigorous guidelines can be enacted to prevent harm to students

• Whereas, 33 states and Puerto Rico as well as many large districts have released official guidance or guardrails on the use of AI in K12 schools;
• Whereas, neither NY State nor NYC have yet developed any such guidelines or guardrails;
• Whereas, despite the lack of guidelines, the use of AI programs has been rapidly expanding throughout NYC public schools;
• Whereas, most AI programs data-mine personal student information to improve their products, in violation of the state student privacy law, Education Law 2D and its regulations;
• Whereas, one of the most commonly used products in schools is Chat GPT, even though the company that produces it, Open AI admits that their products have “the potential to be used …to identify private individuals when augmented with outside data”;
• Whereas, up to 57% of teachers nationwide, including growing numbers in NYC, use AI programs to write Individualized Education Programs for students with disabilities, documents that contain very sensitive personal information;
• Whereas, though no research exists as to the long term effects of AI programs, one recent study entitled “Generative AI can harm learning.” showed that students who spent time with Chat GPT programs for math did significantly worse on their assessments, and that using AI acted as a “crutch,” preventing students from fully engaging with or understanding the material;
• Whereas, another study showed “a significant negative correlation between frequent AI tool usage in educational settings” and students’ critical thinking;
• Whereas, many AI programs have been shown to offer false or misleading information, known as “hallucinations”, with error rates of up to 79%;
• Whereas, another recent study suggests that the use of AI undermines creativity and encourages “group thinking”;
• Whereas, some NYC teachers worry that the increased use of AI by students has led to more cheating and plagiarism, and will lead to the loss of math and writing skills;
• Whereas, many experts including those at Open AI have pointed out that the algorithms used by AI products can “reinforce & reproduce specific biases & worldviews, including harmful stereotypical & demeaning associations for certain marginalized groups.“
• Whereas, another recent study found racial biases in AI-generated teacher behavior intervention programs;
• Whereas, the use of AI poses significant risks to the mental health and social development of children and teens, and in some cases, has been shown to lead to their committing suicide;
• Whereas, the increased use of AI in NYC schools has to potential of undermining collaboration, debate, and the human interaction key to a quality education;
• Whereas, the rapidly expanding use of AI nationwide has led to a surge in electricity consumption and prices, as well as higher carbon emissions, exacerbating the climate crisis;
• Whereas, concerns have been growing among parents, students, and teachers, about the negative impact of AI as a result of these findings;
• Whereas, while Chancellor Ramos appointed a Working Group on AI in June 2025 to help develop guidelines and guardrails for the use of AI;
• Whereas, that Group was sidelined and stonewalled by DOE, who refused to provide a list of AI products already used in schools along with their privacy policies, and denied them any access to any of the AI trainings that they claimed to have already provided to more than 80,000 teachers and other school staff;
• Whereas, the Panel for Education Policy (PEP) has repeatedly rejected contracts with AI companies, due to their potential effects on student privacy and learning, most recently in October of 2025;
• Whereas, the DOE has so far ignored growing these concerns, and continues to expand AI use in schools, without parental knowledge, notification, or consent;

THEREFORE, be it resolved that the Community Board 12M calls on Mayor Mamdani and Chancellor Samuels to institute a moratorium on the use of AI programs in NYC schools, so that during the interim period:

• The AI Working Group can be expanded with more community leaders, classroom teachers, parents, students, and education, privacy and environmental advocates;

• The Chancellor and the members of the AI Working Group should hold public forums, to hear the concerns of community members concerning the potential impact of AI, and as to which guardrails should be implemented;

• The Working Group should develop and DOE should adopt rigorous protections to prevent or minimize the potential harm of AI use in schools.