Geneseo parent urges AI policy; district says internal procedures guide classroom use

A parent urged the Geneseo Central School District board to adopt a clear policy on artificial intelligence for staff and students, saying the rapid spread of tools such as large-language models and image generators is changing classroom practice.

"We're just curious if the district has a policy on AI use, for staff and students," the parent said during public comment, asking the district to make any internal procedures publicly available. Student speakers told the board they use AI for study and review but worry about plagiarism and the erosion of critical thinking skills.

District administrators responded that the district does not have a formal board policy in place yet. "We don't currently have a policy yet, but it is certainly something that the district is... on the burners," an administrator said, and added that the issue is being tracked. The administrator noted that the district's code of conduct already addresses acceptable use and that teachers determine whether students may use AI for particular assignments.

Technology staff said the district is reviewing which vendor features are enabled on student Chromebooks and will confirm settings and blocks. A technology staff member described efforts to block or disable certain features for student accounts where appropriate and said the district is collecting details to share with parents.

Board members and administrators emphasized AI literacy as part of the curriculum: teaching students when AI can be a "thought partner" and how to spot hallucinations or incorrect outputs. Several students and board members supported incorporating AI awareness and usage guidance into existing curricula rather than waiting for a static policy.

The board agreed to collect and share documentation of current internal procedures and to consider whether a formal policy should be developed and periodically updated as the technology changes.