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Parents urge tighter AI controls and better special‑education staffing after district drops realignment plan
Summary
During public comment, speakers praised the district for preserving neighborhood schools, urged the board to address special‑education imbalances, and asked the board to reconsider AI policy use in K–8 classrooms; administrators promised follow-up.
Public commenters used the April 28 Board of Education meeting to press the district on two issues left unresolved by the recent realignment discussion: special‑education staffing and classroom use of artificial intelligence tools.
Wendy Wilkinson told the board she was relieved the Princeton realignment plan will not move forward "at this time," but said the process revealed unequal access to special‑education services across elementary schools. "No one should have to cross town because they are in need of special instruction," Wilkinson said, and she asked whether administrators would present a plan to fix the imbalance.
Board President McNally and Superintendent De Tomaso acknowledged community anxiety and said administration would meet and respond to Wilkinson's question. The transcript records the chair replying, "we'll get back to you on that," indicating a commitment to administrative follow‑up rather than an immediate policy decision.
Heather Massa, introduced earlier in Superintendent remarks as the district librarian, urged the board to reconsider AI use in K–8 classrooms. "When we're using AI in school to make data tables, our kids don't learn how to make data tables," she said, adding that AI can short‑circuit learning of basic skills such as writing dialogue or designing 3‑D objects. Massa said she would continue to raise the issue and requested the board consider banning certain classroom AI use in grades K–8.
The board did not take action on either request during the meeting. Superintendent De Tomaso and board members thanked commenters and noted administrators would follow up; the meeting record does not contain a timeline for a formal response or a planned policy vote on AI or special‑education staffing.
