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HTA president and a parent urge board to revisit scheduling, device policy and AI concerns in classrooms
Summary
During public comment at the March 12 meeting, Tori Kowalsski (HTA president) urged ongoing collaboration on secondary scheduling and a realistic approach to tradeoffs; an unnamed parent urged the board to address students circumventing one‑device rules and growing use of AI to complete homework, asking for policies that preserve authentic student practice.
At the Hamilton Central School District board meeting on March 12, two public commenters asked trustees to continue work on secondary scheduling and to address classroom device use and AI.
Tori Kowalsski, an art teacher and the Hamilton Teachers Association president, described the scheduling review teachers have undertaken and urged collaboration between teachers, administrators and families as the district continues discussions. "The perfect schedule that has no faults doesn't exist, and any schedule will have imperfections," Kowalsski said, asking the board to consider student learning as the guiding principle as scheduling work proceeds.
An unnamed parent who said a daughter graduated from HCS and a son is currently enrolled described practical problems with the district’s one‑device approach and cited college‑level concerns about students outsourcing homework to AI. The parent said students are finding ways to bypass the cell‑phone policy and that some school‑issued tools prompt AI assistance, reducing opportunities for skill practice. The parent urged the board to ensure conversations about device use include consideration of opportunity costs and curricular practice.
Board members did not take policy votes in the public session; the meeting record notes the policy committee has been working on updated language, including an AI policy expected next month. Commenters’ concerns were recorded for further discussion and potential policy follow‑up.
