Blab AI
Haddonfield Community Discusses AIs Role in Education, Highlights Benefits and Risks
On May 27, the Haddonfield American Legion Post 38 hosted its final community conversation of the season to examine how artificial intelligence (AI) is affecting education. About 50 people attended, including Mayor Dave Siedell. Speakers were Linda Hochgertel, vice‑president of the Haddonfield School Board; Ojobo Agbo Eje, an AI researcher at Rutgers University; Gino Priolo, assistant superintendent of schools; and two high‑school students, junior Luke Patterson and sophomore Talia Seshasai.
Students described both the advantages and the pitfalls of AI in their coursework. Seshasai explained that AI can generate unlimited practice questions and provide instant explanations for topics she still finds challenging. She said teachers in her classes have encouraged her to use the technology for studying. She also noted that many students turn to AI for homework assignments, especially in subjects where they have upcoming tests. “When students come home with hours of homework and they’re overwhelmed by assignments and tests and other things that are being asked of them by their teachers, they’re much more likely to use AI,” she said.
Patterson shared a different perspective. He said that some teachers respond to what he sees as overuse by assigning in‑class paper work. For an AP U.S. History unit, his teacher gave students a paper with excerpts from historical philosophers, a dictionary and a notebook. Patterson said students still struggled, suggesting a lack of critical‑thinking skills. “I think probably about half the students in this class… are just sitting there for 30 minutes reading an excerpt and answering questions just solely with your own brain power and writing about it,” he said.
Priolo mentioned a recent district survey that will inform an AI policy he plans to present to the board by the end of July. Hochgertel expressed a desire to see AI used more often in class. She said that when teachers or students come to her with a problem, she expects them to consider AI as a tool for brainstorming and problem‑solving. “There’s a powerful tool at their fingertips. They need to be using that tool,” she said.
However, Hochgertel also warned that AI can become a shortcut that undermines learning. She said that if a student asks the AI to write a five‑paragraph essay on the Civil War, the AI will produce the essay, but the student learns nothing. She added that students who submit AI‑generated work are effectively cheating because the work is not their own. “They have to be able to struggle. It’s the struggle where you get the learning,” she said.
Eje emphasized the importance of exposing students to both sides of the AI debate. He said that people often live in informational echo chambers, so his work involves creating environments and platforms for discussion. He also highlighted how AI can reduce teachers’ administrative workload. “With artificial intelligence built into certain systems, teachers are able to come up with lesson plans that generally align to the policies of the educational board,” he said. He cited the Canvas platform used at Rutgers as an example.
In April, Canvas was hit by a cyberattack that threatened to expose personal data from almost 9,000 schools worldwide and temporarily locked students and teachers out. The platform’s parent company reached an agreement with the unauthorized actor on May 11.
The conversation in Haddonfield reflects broader concerns about AI in education, including academic integrity, over‑reliance, and the need for critical thinking. The district’s upcoming policy will likely address how to balance the benefits of AI tools with safeguards against cheating and learning loss. The cyberattack on Canvas also underscores the importance of secure infrastructure when deploying AI‑enabled learning platforms.
At present, the community is awaiting the district’s AI policy and the outcomes of the Canvas security agreement. The conversation highlighted that while AI can support study and reduce administrative burdens, it also requires careful oversight to ensure that students still develop essential critical‑thinking skills and that academic integrity is maintained.
Students described both the advantages and the pitfalls of AI in their coursework. Seshasai explained that AI can generate unlimited practice questions and provide instant explanations for topics she still finds challenging. She said teachers in her classes have encouraged her to use the technology for studying. She also noted that many students turn to AI for homework assignments, especially in subjects where they have upcoming tests. “When students come home with hours of homework and they’re overwhelmed by assignments and tests and other things that are being asked of them by their teachers, they’re much more likely to use AI,” she said.
Patterson shared a different perspective. He said that some teachers respond to what he sees as overuse by assigning in‑class paper work. For an AP U.S. History unit, his teacher gave students a paper with excerpts from historical philosophers, a dictionary and a notebook. Patterson said students still struggled, suggesting a lack of critical‑thinking skills. “I think probably about half the students in this class… are just sitting there for 30 minutes reading an excerpt and answering questions just solely with your own brain power and writing about it,” he said.
Priolo mentioned a recent district survey that will inform an AI policy he plans to present to the board by the end of July. Hochgertel expressed a desire to see AI used more often in class. She said that when teachers or students come to her with a problem, she expects them to consider AI as a tool for brainstorming and problem‑solving. “There’s a powerful tool at their fingertips. They need to be using that tool,” she said.
However, Hochgertel also warned that AI can become a shortcut that undermines learning. She said that if a student asks the AI to write a five‑paragraph essay on the Civil War, the AI will produce the essay, but the student learns nothing. She added that students who submit AI‑generated work are effectively cheating because the work is not their own. “They have to be able to struggle. It’s the struggle where you get the learning,” she said.
Eje emphasized the importance of exposing students to both sides of the AI debate. He said that people often live in informational echo chambers, so his work involves creating environments and platforms for discussion. He also highlighted how AI can reduce teachers’ administrative workload. “With artificial intelligence built into certain systems, teachers are able to come up with lesson plans that generally align to the policies of the educational board,” he said. He cited the Canvas platform used at Rutgers as an example.
In April, Canvas was hit by a cyberattack that threatened to expose personal data from almost 9,000 schools worldwide and temporarily locked students and teachers out. The platform’s parent company reached an agreement with the unauthorized actor on May 11.
The conversation in Haddonfield reflects broader concerns about AI in education, including academic integrity, over‑reliance, and the need for critical thinking. The district’s upcoming policy will likely address how to balance the benefits of AI tools with safeguards against cheating and learning loss. The cyberattack on Canvas also underscores the importance of secure infrastructure when deploying AI‑enabled learning platforms.
At present, the community is awaiting the district’s AI policy and the outcomes of the Canvas security agreement. The conversation highlighted that while AI can support study and reduce administrative burdens, it also requires careful oversight to ensure that students still develop essential critical‑thinking skills and that academic integrity is maintained.
