My teenage son is using AI to do his math homework. I'm now helping his school write its first AI policy.

As a parent in a tech-savvy community just north of San Francisco, I found myself facing the challenges of navigating my son's use of AI in his schoolwork. This past fall, the local school district reached out to parents, inviting us to join an AI task force aimed at crafting an AI vision statement and establishing a framework for its use in classrooms. Without hesitation, I signed up, prompted by my concerns about my son’s approach to his math homework. He had taken to snapping pictures of his assignments and inputting them into an AI tool with a simple command: 'Solve.' While I understood the allure of such shortcuts, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was crossing a line. My generation of parents has already grappled with the complexities of screen time, smartphones, and social media, and now we are faced with the implications of AI technology. I worried about how this powerful tool might influence a developing mind. Conversations with other parents revealed I was not alone in my concerns. Many shared the belief that while AI literacy is essential, there are significant worries regarding its impact on creativity, critical thinking, and children's problem-solving abilities. Upon joining the Reed Union School District's AI task force, I quickly realized that the focus was not on whether AI should be utilized in education but rather on how to implement it thoughtfully. The prevailing view was that, when approached responsibly, AI could enhance learning outcomes and equip students with vital skills for a technology-driven future. Over several meetings, we collaboratively drafted a vision statement for AI integration, addressed safety and ethical considerations, and developed policies surrounding AI literacy and student usage. Through this process, my perspective began to evolve. I recognized that while AI presents both opportunities and risks, it is crucial to find a balanced approach. Many students are unsure of the guidelines for using AI in their studies, leading to a confusing landscape where some embrace the technology while others shun it altogether. Observing this from both a parental and educational viewpoint revealed that neither extreme benefits them. To address these challenges, our district is introducing a traffic-light model to clarify when and how AI can be utilized in academic settings. For elementary students, a red light indicates no AI use, a yellow light allows it as a tutor or support, and a green light designates it as a collaborative partner. Middle schoolers will follow a more nuanced 0 to 4 scale, where 0 means no AI involvement and 4 indicates that AI generates work that students must evaluate and fact-check. This new framework will be incorporated into assignment guidelines, posters in classrooms, and communications with families, providing clear signals about the expectations for AI use. As a parent, I want my son to engage with AI as a learning tool—encouraging curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking—rather than simply relying on it to complete tasks. I aspire for him to critique AI responses and enhance his own understanding, rather than resorting to copy and paste. The district's initiative aims to foster this mindset in students, aligning with my own parenting goals.