In Massachusetts, a high school student received a 65/100 grade and a Saturday detention for using generative AI in an Advanced Placement (AP) U.S. History assignment without getting permission. The teacher found out and gave the student a lower grade, also assigning detention.
The student’s parents, Dale and Jennifer Harris, are now suing the school. They argue that the school’s handbook does not clearly state that students cannot use AI for assignments, so their son should not have been punished. They believe the school is harming their son’s future by penalizing him and claim that he only used AI to help with research, not to complete the entire assignment.
On the other hand, the school argues that the student received a fair grade considering the violation, and they followed their rules in handling the situation. They believe the punishment was appropriate based on their existing policies, even if the handbook doesn’t mention AI specifically.
This case might have a bigger impact beyond just this student, as it could influence how schools handle AI use in the future. If the court sides with the parents, schools may need to update their policies to clearly explain when and how students can use AI in their work. This could set an important precedent for how generative AI is treated in education going forward.
