New Orleans high school launches AI ethics program as 60% of teachers use AI

Benjamin Franklin High School in New Orleans has launched a comprehensive AI ethics and literacy program, with engineering teacher Rebecca Gaillot leading a team of educators to explore artificial intelligence applications in the classroom. Backed by NOAI, a local technology group, the initiative addresses the growing challenge of AI integration in education, where 60% of teachers used AI tools last school year and nearly half of students ages 9-17 have used ChatGPT recently.

The big picture: Schools nationwide are struggling to develop AI policies, with less than a third having written guidelines according to federal data, leaving educators to navigate the technology’s classroom applications without clear frameworks.

What you should know: Franklin High School has developed a structured approach to AI education covering four key areas.

• The school created AI handbooks for both students and teachers, with Gaillot leading professional development workshops for staff.
• With NOAI funding, ninth graders received licenses for Khanmigo, an AI-powered math tutoring tool.
• Teachers are experimenting with practical applications, including converting textbook readings into AI-generated podcast episodes for history classes.

Why this matters: The lack of AI literacy training is creating academic integrity challenges and leaving students unprepared for responsible technology use.

• “We’ve had a record number of academic integrity issues this past year, largely driven by AI,” said Alex Jarrell, CEO of Ben Franklin High School.
• When Gaillot surveyed ninth graders in 2023, 65% reported using AI weekly with little formal guidance.

What students think: Franklin students demonstrate sophisticated understanding of AI’s benefits and limitations through classroom discussions.

• Using red and yellow light switches, students indicated that AI-assisted college essays are unethical, while AI help with speech ideas is more acceptable if properly disclosed.
• “You can use AI for homework and classwork, but once you get to a test, you’re only using the knowledge you have,” said senior Zaire Hellestine.
• Students worry about environmental impacts from energy-intensive data centers and the risk of losing critical thinking skills.

Teaching philosophy shift: Gaillot advocates for fundamentally rethinking educational approaches rather than simply banning AI tools.

• “You can’t just learn in the same way anymore. Everything’s going to keep changing,” she explained.
• The focus shifts toward developing critical thinking and creativity skills that complement rather than compete with AI capabilities.
• Teachers are encouraged to view AI as more than a cheating tool, using it to streamline tasks like worksheet creation and assignment grading.

Student perspectives on learning: Despite recognizing AI’s potential benefits, students emphasize the importance of genuine understanding over shortcuts.

• “A very important part of the learning process is being able to sit there and struggle with it,” said freshman Jayden Gardere.
• “It defeats the purpose of learning,” added sophomore Lauren Moses.
• Students noted AI’s tendency to provide incorrect information, citing examples of Google’s AI tool mixing up New Orleans ward boundaries.