The Importance of Documentation
Every school needs to address AI use in their policies and procedures in a way that all stakeholders can understand. Here's a real example of what can happen when that is not done. In October 2024, a Massachusetts high school student used AI to complete an Advanced Placement (AP) U.S. History assignment. The AI-generated work included fake book citations that didn't actually exist. According to a federal judge, the student copied large sections of text directly from the AI tool without making changes. The school's response was serious: the student received a zero on the project, was temporarily blocked from joining the National Honor Society, and had to serve detention. The student's parents sued the school. They argued that the school's handbook didn't have clear rules about AI use when their son completed the assignment. In their view, punishing him for breaking a rule that didn't officially exist wasn't fair. The parents also worried that this incident hurt their son's chances of getting into college, especially for early admission programs. The bottom line: This case shows why schools must create clear, written AI policies and share them with everyone before enforcing consequences.
See the original story about this case from the Associated Press.
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