AI in schools: Ban it or embrace it? | Episode 1034 of The Education Gadfly Show

Mike Petrilli is back on the mic solo this week to weigh the case for and against banning AI in schools. He considers growing concerns about cheating, an erosion of grading standards, and the broader effects of technology on student learning, as well as arguments that well-designed AI tools could still have a useful place in the classroom. Are blanket bans too extreme, or is it time for schools to press pause? Then, on the Research Minute, Brian Fitzpatrick examines a new systematic review of state and locally funded pre-K programs and what it reveals about the strength of the evidence behind their short- and long-term effects. Recommended content: Let’s debate the AI bans —Michael J. Petrilli, SCHOOLED High Tech, Low Standards: High School in the Age of Distraction —Brian R. Fitzpatrick, Thomas B. Fordham Institute Schools Are Urged to Embrace AI—and Ban Phones. Can We Resolve the Tension? —Rick Hess, Education Week Hot Takes on NYC AI Ban —Ben Wallerstein, Whiteboard Advisors A Systematic Review of Research Designs Used to Evaluate State and Locally Funded Pre-K Programs —Anamarie A. Whitaker, Cara L. Kelly, Tyler W. Watts, Mark Lipsey, Juan Camilo Cristancho, Jade M. Jenkins, Caroline M. Botvin, Drew H. Bailey, Greg J. Duncan, Tania Maria Cruz Cordero, Melissa Stoffers, and Mindy Rosengarten, EdWorkingPapers (August 2026) Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our show? We would love to hear them. Send them to [email protected]