Gardner Edgerton school board candidates on AI: where they stand and what schools can do now
Ahead of the Nov. 4 election, candidates for the Gardner Edgerton Board of Education shared how they would guide the district's use of artificial intelligence. The thread through most responses: teach students to use AI well, protect privacy, and keep academic integrity front and center.
The question presented to candidates
AI is moving quickly and touches instruction, assessment, and data security. Supporters see big gains in teaching and learning. Educators worry about cheating, equity, and student data. How should the district set policy and protocols for AI in schools?
Candidate responses
Member 1 (two-year unexpired term)
Julie Aldridge: Support AI as a learning tool with strong guardrails. Set clear, ethical-use policies that address bias, discrimination, and student data protection. Build AI literacy into the curriculum by age level and provide ongoing training for teachers. Ensure fair access, require human oversight, limit AI use on high-stakes assessments, and emphasize transparency, consent, and academic honesty.
Matthew Harlow: No response submitted.
Melissa Hershey: Integrate AI thoughtfully under existing plagiarism and integrity policies. Keep in-class writing that reflects individual skill-handwritten essays still matter. Address cheating head-on and secure student and staff data, while encouraging responsible use.
Member 4
Sam Dominguez: Create a committee of educators, parents, students, administrators, and tech experts to craft policy. A blanket ban isn't realistic or helpful-students need supervised practice to be ready for college and work. Focus on creativity, problem-solving, and innovation, while prioritizing safety, privacy, and integrity. Provide teacher training and keep families informed.
Lana Sutton (incumbent): No response submitted.
Member 6
Greg Chapman (incumbent): No response submitted.
Keith Davenport: Students will face an AI-heavy job market, so schools should get them hands-on experience now. Add a dedicated AI class-akin to how typing used to be required. Establish policies for both students and staff, borrow what works from other districts, and use AI without compromising ethics or educational integrity.
What this means for district leaders
There's clear agreement on a balanced approach: teach effective use, set boundaries for assessments, invest in teacher development, and protect data. The playbook below can help your team act quickly and responsibly.
- Form an AI advisory group: Include teachers, students, families, administrators, legal, IT, and community experts. Meet quarterly, publish minutes, and update guidance as tools change.
- Publish acceptable-use guidelines: Define allowed classroom uses, prohibited uses, expectations for citations, consequences for misuse, and limits for high-stakes tests. Require human oversight.
- Protect privacy and security: Vet vendors, avoid unnecessary data collection, and complete privacy impact reviews. Provide clear notice to families and get consent where required. See FERPA guidance from the U.S. Department of Education: studentprivacy.ed.gov.
- Plan for equity: Ensure device and internet access, offer multilingual supports, and provide accommodations so AI tools don't widen gaps.
- Integrate AI into curriculum: Introduce age-appropriate AI literacy in earlier grades and offer a high school course covering strengths, limits, ethics, and practical workflows.
- Invest in professional learning: Train teachers on classroom use, prompt design, feedback cycles, and lesson planning. Emphasize assessment design over unreliable AI "detectors."
- Design AI-smart assessments: Use in-class drafting, oral defenses, portfolios, and project logs to keep student thinking visible.
- Communicate with families: Share the policy, examples of approved use, privacy practices, and how to discuss AI at home.
- Review and iterate: Pilot tools in a few classrooms, gather evidence, and scale what works. Revisit policy annually.
Helpful resources
U.S. Department of Education: AI and the Future of Teaching and Learning (guidance on policy, privacy, and instruction) - Read the report.
Want structured upskilling for educators? Explore curated AI learning paths by job role - Complete AI Training.
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