Student board member urges guided classroom use of AI, emphasizes 'productive struggle'

At the Cornwall Central School District board meeting on June 15, student board member Mave Fogerty presented the work of a high school AI committee that spent the year exploring how artificial intelligence might be used thoughtfully in classroom settings.

Fogerty described a proposed ‘‘stoplight’’ framework to guide AI use: red for assignments where AI is not permitted, yellow where students need permission or supervision, and green where AI is encouraged as a learning tool. She said the committee emphasized that AI can be helpful—she used ChatGPT herself to generate study guides before AP exams—but cautioned that students must verify AI outputs because generative models can produce errors.

"A crucial part to learning in general is productive struggle and AI just kind of completely takes that away if it's being used inappropriately," Fogerty told the board, urging policies that preserve learning while allowing beneficial AI tools when appropriate.

Board members asked about next steps and whether the committee would continue after Fogerty graduates; Fogerty said other student representatives and staff have expressed interest in continuing the work next year and that school staff have already attended meetings. In the Q&A, board members and staff described examples of practical AI uses—interactive quizzes and study aids created from students' notes—while stressing the need for teacher oversight and explicit guidance on when and how students may use AI.

The board did not adopt a formal district policy at the meeting; the presentation was framed as the committee's preliminary guidance and a starting point for continued conversation between students, teachers and administrators.

Provenance: presentation and Q&A, SEG 1508–SEG 1699.