NY School District Halts Humanoid Robot Teacher After State Warning
The robot will help teachers with lessons, translations and homework support as the district says human educators will remain central.
- Salamanca City Central School District will deploy "Sally," a humanoid robot from Realbotix, and an AI avatar called Optio in high school courses this fall, according to a $57,590 contract signed by the district.
- Realbotix, formerly Tokens.com, rebranded after acquiring the parent company behind RealDoll in 2024; the district partnered with the firm to integrate AI assistants into its STEM curriculum.
- Officials implemented "education-specific safety guardrails" to ensure Sally redirects academic questions and protects student privacy; the district confirmed the technology will neither store personal data nor replace human teachers.
- Critics, including the New York State United Teachers union and parent Sierra Abrams, denounced the plan as a "thoughtless expansion," expressing concerns that the district is using students as "lab rats."
- As schools nationwide grapple with AI integration, Salamanca officials plan to expand the pilot if successful, while First Lady Melania Trump advocates for AI-powered educational robots in contrast to union-led calls for stricter limits.
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News From The States
perugazette.comWestern New York School District Hits Pause on Robot Teacher Amid Scrutiny
A Western New York school district has halted its plans to place a humanoid robot in a classroom after a New York Focus report on the plan sparked fierce debate over the use of artificial intelligence in schools and backlash from local parents.
School Sparks Debate After Buying Humanoid Robot Teacher
As hiring teachers becomes increasingly difficult, a rural New York school is set to become one of the first schools in the nation to use a robot to teach students.Salamanca City Central School District bought the robot, Sally, for $57,590 — less than the median annual salary for a New York teacher. Sally is an AI-powered humanoid robot from Realbotix, according to KRLD Newsradio 1080. The robot will function as a teaching assistant tool startin…
N.Y. School Halts Humanoid Robot Plan After State Pushback
A New York school district has halted plans to introduce a humanoid robot into a high school classroom after state education officials raised concerns and opposition mounted from teachers and members of the Seneca Nation.
Sex Doll Company Strikes Bizarre Deal to Put Its Robot in High School Classrooms
Robotics company Realbotix has long struggled to beat the allegations that its voluptuous humanoid robots are designed with prurient interests in mind. Its $175,000 robotic companion, dubbed Aria, is platinum blonde, well-endowed, and tends to be decked out in tight-fitted sportswear at tech conventions. Yet the company insisted she’s not a sex doll, leading to plenty of incredulity online. It’s also hard to ignore that Realbotix has an extensiv…
Salamanca pauses humanoid robot classroom pilot
The Salamanca City Central School District has paused plans to introduce a humanoid robot in a high school classroom amid privacy concerns and community backlash, according to New York Focus. The district said it will work with the state Education Department on stronger student data protections and continue discussions with parents and other stakeholders. Education… MoreSalamanca pauses humanoid robot classroom pilot
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