Parents were enticed by Alpha School's promise of a revolutionary "school of the future" for an annual fee of $65,000. However, an investigation has unveiled serious issues lurking beneath the surface, including textbook inaccuracies, pervasive surveillance, and the use of plagiarized content. The institution claims that students can achieve mastery by dedicating just two hours a day to AI-generated lessons. Yet, internal communications reveal that staff members recognize the AI often produces flawed assignments that can "do more harm than good," with test questions frequently being nonsensical or lacking correct answers altogether. Students are subjected to continuous monitoring, with their mouse movements tracked and screen activity and webcam footage recorded to evaluate their "engagement." This invasive software operates even outside school hours, leaving students feeling anxious while parents grapple with managing these intrusive settings. Alarmingly, student data and webcam videos were stored in a standard Google Drive folder, with access granted to any employee, including former staff. Rather than creating their own educational programs, the school spent years copying materials from well-known platforms like Khan Academy and IXL, with employees instructed on how to circumvent security measures to avoid being penalized for content theft. A former employee expressed concern, stating, "Students are being treated like guinea pigs." The debate continues: Will AI ultimately replace the role of teachers?
Informational material. 18+.
