Artificial intelligence resistance erupted on Wednesday when parents, educators, and students staged protests outside Google offices in Chicago and Cambridge, Massachusetts, as Chalkbeat reported.
The demonstrations highlight a growing conflict between school districts attempting to block generative chatbots and tech giants embedding AI directly into fundamental classroom tools like search engines. Google added urgency to the dispute earlier in November by stating that schools enforcing bans on artificial intelligence will lose access to its search engine entirely because the technology is now inseparable from the platform.
“We are owed lessons and feedback from the people CPS hired, people who are passionate and dedicated to making learning fun,” Reese Mackey, a 16-year-old Kenwood Academy High School junior, told Chalkbeat at the Chicago rally.
“Not by a bot whose only job is to be a yes man and compile random sources from the internet for a nonsensical answer,” Mackey said.
Chicago Public Schools Block
The Wednesday protest in Chicago’s West Loop was organized by Illinois Families for Public Schools. About 30 participants gathered outside Google’s office, chanting slogans such as “Hey Google, nice try. We don’t want your Gemini,” according to Chalkbeat.
Chicago Public Schools recently blocked student access to generative tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Google Gemini. The district has not yet finalized its response to Google’s announcement that search requires AI.
A district spokesperson told Chalkbeat that CPS is actively exploring options to independently suppress the AI overview that appears at the top of Google searches. If the district cannot provide students access to the search engine without the AI feature, the spokesperson said that CPS will look to other search solutions.
“That really shouldn’t be our gateway to human knowledge, and so we need to draw a line there,” Cassie Creswell, executive director of Illinois Families for Public Schools, told Chalkbeat.
Google defended its educational applications in a statement to Chalkbeat, noting that the company is taking steps to improve search functions for classrooms. The tech giant pointed to its piloting of a “Guided Learning” feature, which uses AI to walk students through problems step-by-step rather than supplying immediate answers.
New York City Bans Student Chatbots Through Eighth Grade
Tensions over student screen time and artificial intelligence have escalated under the Trump administration, which has maintained a generally friendly stance toward the AI industry. The rapid spread of the technology has left local education administrators rushing to establish guardrails.
New York City enacted strict measures under Mayor Zohran Mamdani, banning student-facing chatbots from preschool through eighth grade before the current school year began. In late October, Chalkbeat obtained an Education Department list flagging nearly 40 products for their AI usage, including Grammarly and Kahoot.
Chicago’s approach has involved selective approvals. CPS accepted contracts for Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, and Gemini Notebook that bar vendors from using student data for model training. However, the district backtracked on a planned rollout of Google Gemini in high schools for the 2026-2027 school year following community pushback.
Meanwhile, the Illinois State Board of Education introduced non-binding guidance earlier this year on responsible AI use in schools.
Three-Year Moratorium Demand
Illinois Families for Public Schools is pressing for a three-year moratorium on generative AI across classrooms, advocating instead for human-centered education. The advocacy group urged school board candidates to sign its pledge ahead of recent elections, securing commitments from about half of incoming Chicago Board of Education members, including President-elect Jessica Biggs.
Michilla Blaise, a reelected school board member for District 5b representing the West Side, told Chalkbeat that she believes AI is widening learning gaps in her community. The group’s platform also calls for appointing a chief privacy officer to protect student data, limiting screen time across all grades, and prohibiting the collection of biometric data like face scans and fingerprints.
“I hope that we have swept people into office who are not beholden to the tech industry and they’re beholden to their constituents,” Creswell told Chalkbeat.
Classroom Artificial Intelligence Questions
Why did Chicago Public Schools block generative artificial intelligence?
Chicago Public Schools blocked student access to generative tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Google Gemini as parents and educators expressed concern over screen time and the impact of chatbots on learning, Chalkbeat reported.
What products did New York City flag for artificial intelligence usage?
New York City’s Education Department flagged nearly 40 products for their AI usage by late October, including tools like Grammarly and Kahoot, according to Chalkbeat.
What are the demands of Illinois Families for Public Schools?
The advocacy group is calling for a three-year moratorium on artificial intelligence in classrooms, the appointment of a chief privacy officer to safeguard student data, screen-time limits across all grades, and a ban on biometric data collection, Chalkbeat reported.
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