Teachers Union Urges Schools to Curb A.I. Chatbots and Screen Time

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), called for schools to limit handing digital devices to children from prekindergarten through second grade, warning they are “drowning in tech.”
Weingarten urged elementary schools to avoid using AI tools like those from OpenAI, Google, and Khan Academy, and also called for new national privacy and safety standards for AI tools in all schools.
The initiative aims to prioritize active, hands-on learning and strengthen human relationships in classrooms, reducing reliance on digital devices, reflecting growing backlash from parents and educators.
Weingarten was motivated by a talk from Jonathan Haidt on the impact of screens on children’s socialization and critical thinking skills.
The union’s effort includes a plan called “devices down, eyes up, hands-on strategy” intended to develop student skills in problem-solving, critical thinking, and ethics.
The AFT has been negotiating safety and privacy standards for AI use in schools with partners from Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic, while maintaining that the federal government and state legislatures should lead A.I. regulation.
Weingarten mentioned concerns about the Trump administration’s ties to tech companies and advocated for an independent research consortium to study the impacts of AI, screens, and technology on students.

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