By HANNAH HARRIS
Capital News Service
More than 135 candidates are running in Maryland’s school board elections, and those who win will face a significant challenge: overseeing the implementation — and regulation — of artificial intelligence in the state’s 24 school districts.
In an effort to add clarity to the issue, the General Assembly passed the Artificial Intelligence Ready Schools Act, in April. The bill required all Maryland public school systems to adopt their own plans to integrate AI into K-12 education by the beginning of October.
“This bill is a significant step toward supporting our public school system in keeping pace with the changing landscape of artificial intelligence,” Sen. Katie Fry Hester, D-Howard and Montgomery, who sponsored the bill in the Senate, said in committee testimony in March. “It recognizes the critical importance of integrating AI responsibly into our educational framework and the day-to-day operations of our schools.”
That law was clearly on the minds of candidates who responded to a Local News Network survey on a variety of issues, including their county’s AI policy. Some candidates responded to the survey before their county’s policy had been implemented, while others did so after their local school board had acted.
Many of those who responded did so with some trepidation about the fast-changing technology.
“AI continues to evolve rapidly,” Prince George’s County candidate Caroline Decaire-Goldin said. “And I remain concerned about ed-tech companies profiting from platforms that target our most vulnerable students using barely regulated technology.”
Supporting or replacing learning?
One of the most prominent concerns among candidates was how children would develop key skills such as critical thinking with AI in the classroom.
Maggie Litz Domanowski, a Baltimore County school board member seeking re-election, emphasized that artificial intelligence should guide student learning and be used as a tool instead of a replacement for learning important skills.
“[AI] should never replace the critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving and independent learning that students must develop,” she said. “Students should be encouraged to think first, complete their own work and use AI only in ways that support, not substitute for, their learning.”
Baltimore City candidate Jamar Day had similar opinions to Domanowski. He said he feels overreliance on AI in the classroom will not prepare students for the future.
“I believe unchecked use of AI is crippling the critical thinking and creative writing skills our children need to succeed in society,” Day said. “When students can generate an essay or solve a problem without ever wrestling with the material themselves, we’re not preparing them for college, careers or citizenship. We’re preparing them to be dependent thinkers in the world.”
Baltimore City’s policy, which is meant to address current and future problems with the technology, explicitly states when AI usage is appropriate for both students and administrators. Students may use AI to “spark creativity,” in subjects such as writing, art and music. Using the technology as a translation tool, study aid and one-on-one tutor is also permitted.
“AI-powered virtual teaching assistants may provide on-demand support, answer questions, help with homework and supplement classroom instruction,” according to the policy. Artificial intelligence is not intended to replace city-approved curriculum.
The document discloses that artificial intelligence was used to brainstorm and edit the policy.
Responsible usage
Most candidates had a nuanced opinion on AI. Many did not directly oppose AI usage in K-12 education but instead emphasized careful consideration into how students and staff will use the tool.
Wicomico County candidate David Plotts acknowledged students will grow up to use AI in everyday life. He said he wants students to learn how to use the tool to their advantage.
“Simply prohibiting AI would be unrealistic and would leave students unprepared for technologies they will encounter in college and the workplace,” Plotts said. “Instead, we should teach students how to use AI responsibly, including how to verify information, recognize bias, protect personal data, cite appropriate use and understand AI’s limitations.”
The county adopted a policy under the statewide framework at the end of July. The policy outlines parameters for student and staff use, privacy and oversight.
“All educational content or assessments generated or modified by AI must undergo human review and verification by qualified instructional staff before dissemination,” the policy said.
Caroline County candidate Jean Hayhurst lauded the policy her district adopted in August, which emphasizes human oversight when implementing AI into education and provides a list of acceptable and unacceptable uses.
AI is permitted for student use in the rural Eastern Shore county to “support learning, planning, communication, accessibility, when such use is lawful, professionally appropriate and consistent with district expectations.” The policy’s list of “don’ts” include taking actions via AI that would compromise student and faculty safety, such as cyberbullying, plagiarism and the production of false documentation.
“I am grateful that there is a policy in place that supports student/teacher privacy issues but encourages use to promote student success in the rapidly changing technology arena,” Hayhurst said.
Many candidates opposed AI usage in education to some degree. Respondents were mostly concerned with privacy and age-appropriate usage.
Baltimore County candidate Candice Logan-Washington emphasized how an AI policy should ensure students learn about all aspects of the technology as they use it.
The county “needs clear, age-appropriate guidance addressing academic integrity, privacy, bias, misinformation, equitable access and appropriate instructional use,” she said.
Logan-Washington called for continual review of Baltimore County’s AI policy even after approval.
Meanwhile, Somerset County uses a general guideline for technology usage to enforce rules about AI. A new framework has not yet been publicly shared, but Sharyn Yuloff, a school board candidate in the county, offered some suggestions.
“The policy should also protect student privacy by prohibiting the entry of personally identifiable, confidential or sensitive information into AI tools,” Yuloff said. “Any approved tool should undergo a careful review for security.”
Plans for change
Some candidates replied with concrete plans of action to either change or enforce their county’s technology policy.
Montgomery County candidate Cassandra Sung said she would push for “clear, grade-level guidelines that require students to demonstrate foundational competency before AI use is introduced for that skill.”
Sung suggested implementing “AI-free zones,” so students could master foundational elements of schooling before engaging with the technology.
Montgomery County’s current policy was revised before the statewide bill was established. The policy outlines five points to ensure AI is assisting teaching, not replacing it. Montgomery County Public Schools are to approve new technology, provide human oversight and review guidelines regularly.
Cecil County candidate Brian Hampton said AI technology should not be implemented before teachers and faculty are properly trained.
“I support a ban on AI use in grades K-5, and I’m open to extending that through eighth grade,” Hampton said.
The county’s policy cautions against sharing personal information and explains the technology is not permitted to evaluate student or employee performance for educational programs or jobs. Students must cite AI usage in their schoolwork.
Zeke Falcon, a Kent County candidate, took a more nuanced approach. He said he recognized AI is an evolving tool students will eventually be using, even outside of school.
“AI is a reality that isn’t going away but our scholars need to build critical thinking skills before they are thrown such a powerful tool,” Falcon said. “Once they are able to manage it they should be taught its uses in a more mature and structured way. A calculator can help you solve a problem. It can also prevent you from learning arithmetic if you use it too soon”.
Most candidates agreed AI is a multifaceted issue.
Kwame Jamal Kenyatta-Bey, a Baltimore City candidate, plans to approach AI in Baltimore with “curiosity and purpose” for what’s next.
“It reminds me of the transition to the printing press,” Kenyatta-Bey said. “We did not stop educating because Johannes Gutenberg introduced a powerful new tool; we learned how that tool could transform education.”
