Teachers warn Dearborn board about AI-enabled glasses in schools, urge clear policy

Union representatives told the Dearborn Board of Education that wearable devices with cameras and AI features have already appeared in district schools and that the district should adopt clearer rules to protect student privacy.

Cathy Martin of the Dearborn Federation of Teachers told trustees she had found "Meta Ray-Bans" or similar AI-enabled glasses worn at school and said those devices can record audio and video and, if connected, can provide answers to users. "My concern is these glasses being worn, especially at secondary schools, in locker rooms, and in gyms," she said, adding that teachers may not be able to tell if a pair of prescription glasses contains recording hardware.

Martin said she has raised the issue with district staff and asked the board to "come up with a policy or something that can keep our kids as safe as possible." Trustees acknowledged the concern and said the district's legal team is already working on an opinion; board and staff members emphasized the need for a technology-agnostic rule (a general no-recording policy) rather than a ban that names specific products.

Interim comments from trustees and staff noted that recording on phones is already handled by school rules and that smart eyewear presents a new privacy challenge because it can look like ordinary prescription glasses. Trustees asked staff to continue coordinating with legal counsel and to bring policy options back to the board for discussion.

No formal policy change was adopted at the meeting; trustees thanked union leaders for raising the issue and requested legal and policy follow-up.