Citing concerns about artificial intelligence, Crestwood’s Board of Education has pulled the plug on its livestreams.
Crestwood Local Schools Superintendent Aireane Curtis said she and district Treasurer Katie Hoffmeister attended a June 2025 meeting of area administrators where an attendee said their voice had been cloned to send out a fake message to staff.
“The superintendent that was scammed was...
Read moreI understand why districts are becoming cautious about livestreaming and student media in the age of AI, but we also need to be honest about the difficult position many smaller districts are now in.
The current Ohio Model AI Policy provides broad guidance but very little operational direction. It encourages innovation while leaving local leaders to interpret risk, manage privacy concerns, and absorb potential liability on their own. Larger districts may have legal teams and technology staff to navigate this. Smaller districts often do not. When faced with uncertainty and limited resources, the safest decision becomes shutting things down, even when community access and transparency matter to taxpayers.
This is not simply a local leadership issue. It is a structural gap between statewide expectations and local capacity, especially at a time when Ohio school funding remains uneven and many districts are already stretched thin.
If Ohio truly wants responsible AI use in schools, districts need more than a model policy; they need clear implementation guidance, practical safety standards, and funding support to put guardrails in place without losing opportunities for students and families.
I would encourage the Ohio Legislature and the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce to work directly with districts to develop clearer statewide frameworks and provide resources that allow schools to move forward safely instead of retreating out of caution.
Constructive feedback from communities helps shape stronger policy. Ohio districts want to move forward responsibly, but they should not have to do it alone.