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Board orders expedited town hall on proposed AI pilot, delays vote until community input
Summary
Following public concern about an AI security/pilot product, the board directed staff to hold an expedited town hall with vendor representatives and agreed to delay any approval of the AI pilot until after community feedback.
The New Hanover County Schools Board voted Feb. 4 to hold an expedited town hall to gather community input on a proposed AI pilot and to delay any district approval until the public has had a chance to hear from the vendor and staff.
The motion, made and argued principally by board member Mister Perry, referenced earlier demonstrations and public worry about facial recognition and data use in security products; a public commenter at the meeting asked how a system could tell who “isn't supposed to be on campus” if it does not store pictures and noted facial‑recognition material had appeared on vendor slides. Perry urged a town hall with vendor representatives present so families and staff could question the technology and its safeguards. "Once AI comes into our schools, it isn't leaving," he said, arguing the decision deserves broad public input.
Board members agreed to an expedited town hall with vendor participation and to postpone any approval of the proposed AI contract until after that engagement. The motion passed unanimously.
Next steps: Staff and the chair will set logistics for the town hall; the board said vendor representatives from the demonstrator (identified in the transcript variably as Evidigm/Erudon/Evidon) should attend to answer community questions.
