A high schooler writes about AI tools in the classroom

Homework, In-Class Work, and Equity

• Many note a shift toward little or no homework, with work done in class to reduce AI cheating and parental “doing the homework.”
• Some see this as protecting authenticity and equity (home often isn’t conducive to study); others think it robs kids of discipline, time-management practice, and “type‑2 fun” challenges.
• Flipped classrooms (lectures at home, practice in class) are discussed; critics say it collapses when students don’t do the prep.
• There’s debate over homework’s actual impact on learning; several mention research that mandatory homework has weak benefits.

Banning or Constraining Technology

• Proposed “nuclear options”: paper/blue‑book exams, handwritten essays, oral exams, classroom-only locked-down devices, and phone bans.
• Objections: teachers rely on tech and hate grading by hand; oral exams don’t scale for 30‑student classes; handwriting is a real barrier for some students.
• Others argue this is exactly how exams used to work and remains “obvious” and workable if properly funded (smaller classes, more time).

AI as Cheating Tool vs Learning Tool

• Widespread concern that students now outsource thinking to LLMs, resembling earlier cheating (parents writing essays, copying peers) but easier and more pervasive.
• Instructors report students turning in AI-written work and then being completely lost on in-person tests.
• Some see AI as a “mental crutch” that risks cognitive decline and “eternal novices”; others compare it to calculators or spellcheck—tools that shifted what’s taught rather than destroyed learning.
• Pro‑integration camp argues students must learn AI literacy: when to trust it, how to critique it, and how to use it for exploration, tutoring, or creative formats (e.g., comics, projects).

Assessment and Curriculum Reform

• Suggested responses: more in-class, supervised assessments; smaller weight on homework; portfolio work plus short oral defenses; project-based tasks where AI is allowed but not sufficient.
• Some call for deeper structural change: less busywork, more human collaboration, more emphasis on critical thinking and synthesis—skills AI is weaker at.
• There’s tension between preparing students for an AI-saturated workplace and preserving the hard, sometimes unpleasant practice that actually builds independent intellect.

Meta: The Article and Systemic Blame

• Several dismiss the original piece as a high-achiever’s narrow view; others value a student voice documenting the shift.
• Broader blame is placed on misaligned incentives: parents, administrators, funding cuts, and a long-standing focus on grades and standardized performance over real learning.