Dancing with the Devil
AI in the Classroom and the AFT’s Bold Collaboration
As a blogger with a passion for education, I’ve been wrestling with words my whole life. Dyslexia has a way of turning sentences into jigsaw puzzles, and my early blog posts—focused on the messy, beautiful world of teaching—often took weeks to craft. Teachers in my audience, armed with their metaphorical red pens, weren’t shy about marking up my grammar gaffes. Then, artificial intelligence (AI) waltzed into my life like a techy fairy godmother, promising to polish my prose and streamline my research. But as I’ve learned, dancing with AI is like dancing with the devil—thrilling, transformative, and just a little dangerous if you don’t watch your step.
My AI Journey: From Grammar Savior to Research Trickster
The moment AI tools like Grammarly and early chatbots became available, I pounced. Suddenly, my blog posts went from resembling a dyslexic’s fever dream to something resembling cogent arguments. AI smoothed out my grammar, caught my spelling slip-ups, and made my ideas shine without the weeks-long slog. It was a game-changer for someone who’d always struggled to translate thoughts into text. But when it came to research, early AI was like a mischievous genie—granting wishes with a twist. I’d ask for data on, say, student engagement strategies, and it’d serve up a psychedelic stew of half-truths and outright fabrications. I learned quickly: never trust one AI platform alone. By cross-referencing answers from multiple tools, I could sift through the noise and find the signal.
This experience shaped my mission: to inspire my readers—educators, parents, and students—to explore AI’s role in education with open minds and sharp skepticism. AI isn’t just a tool; it’s a cultural force reshaping classrooms, and we need to understand its values and dangers. My blog became a testing ground, a place to showcase AI’s potential while exposing its pitfalls.
The AFT’s Grand Experiment: A National Academy for AI Instruction
Enter the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), which recently announced a jaw-dropping collaboration with Microsoft, OpenAI, Anthropic, and the United Federation of Teachers (UFT). Their creation? The National Academy for AI Instruction, a $23 million initiative to train 1.8 million AFT members—mostly K-12 educators—in the art of wielding AI in the classroom. Based in a shiny Manhattan facility, the academy promises free workshops, online courses, and hands-on training to empower 400,000 teachers over five years, impacting over 7.2 million students. The goal is noble: democratize AI literacy, ensure ethical use, and keep teachers at the helm of education’s tech revolution.
This move is a bold step toward embracing AI as a classroom tool, not a replacement for teachers. The AFT’s partnership with tech giants signals a shift from fear to engagement, acknowledging that AI, like the abacus or whiteboard, is here to stay. But not everyone’s cheering. Critics, like education blogger Nancy Bailey, raise red flags about corporate influence. The edtech industry rakes in billions annually, yet its impact on learning outcomes is murky at best. Bailey worries that this collaboration could prioritize corporate agendas—workforce development, data collection—over student needs and teacher autonomy. After all, when billionaires fund the tools, they often call the tune.
AI in the Classroom: Tool, Not Tyrant
When AI first burst onto the scene, it sparked panic among educators. Billionaires like Elon Musk mused about AI replacing teachers, even public education itself. Schools in places like New York City, Los Angeles, and Baltimore banned ChatGPT, citing risks of cheating, plagiarism, and misinformation. But bans are like trying to hold back a tsunami with a broom. AI isn’t going anywhere, and I’ve come to see it as just another tool in the educator’s kit—not a replacement for the human connection that defines teaching.
Think about it: calculators didn’t eliminate math teachers; they changed how math is taught. AI can grade papers, personalize lesson plans, and even spark creative exercises (imagine students debating ethics with a chatbot). But it can’t replicate the empathy, intuition, or mentorship of a teacher. The AFT’s academy seems to get this, emphasizing ethical AI use and teacher empowerment. Their curriculum will cover AI literacy, data privacy, and safety, ensuring educators can harness AI without being steamrolled by it.
The Dark Side: Bias, Privacy, and Corporate Creep
Still, dancing with AI means watching your toes. Early AI models, as I discovered, could churn out biased or outright false information. Even today, risks like privacy invasion, algorithmic bias, and job displacement loom large. Student data is a goldmine, and tech companies aren’t exactly known for their altruism. Bailey’s blog post nails it: corporate-driven edtech has a history of promising miracles while delivering profits, often at the expense of public education. The AFT’s collaboration with OpenAI, Microsoft, and Anthropic raises questions about whose values will shape AI’s classroom role. Will it serve students or shareholders?
Then there’s the ethical minefield. AI systems can perpetuate biases—say, favoring certain demographics in grading algorithms—or erode student privacy through data collection. Educators need to be vigilant, ensuring AI aligns with human values like fairness and accountability. Organizations like OpenAI and DeepMind are working on AI safety, but it’s a complex challenge. Instilling values in machines is like teaching a toddler empathy—possible, but it takes time and constant correction.
A Call to Arms: Shaping AI’s Future
Rather than fearing AI as the grim reaper of education, we need to roll up our sleeves and shape its development. Governments, educators, and communities must engage with AI, not leave it to billionaires chasing profit. The AFT’s academy is a step in the right direction, putting teachers at the table. But we need broader involvement—policies that prioritize student welfare, transparent AI development, and robust privacy laws. As super-blogger Peter Greene, a voice of reason in education circles, is researching, AI’s impact depends on how educators wield it. His work in *Forbes* and *The Progressive* will likely offer sharp insights into balancing AI’s promise with its perils.
My Verdict: Dance, But Keep Your Eyes Open
AI has been a lifeline for me, turning my blog from a grammatical minefield into a platform for ideas. In the classroom, it can be a powerful ally—streamlining tasks, sparking creativity, and personalizing learning. But it’s no fairy godmother. Without careful oversight, AI could amplify inequities, erode privacy, or turn education into a corporate playground. The AFT’s National Academy for AI Instruction is a bold move to empower teachers, but it must navigate the tension between innovation and corporate influence.
So, let’s dance with the devil, but let’s lead. AI is a tool, not a tyrant. By embracing it with skepticism, ethics, and a commitment to human connection, we can reshape education for the better—not just for the rich, but for all. My blog will keep exploring this dance, comparing AI platforms, exposing their quirks, and urging educators to join the conversation. After all, the classroom isn’t just where we teach—it’s where we learn to navigate the future.
AFT to Launch National Academy for AI Instruction with Microsoft, OpenAI, Anthropic and United Federation of Teachers | American Federation of Teachers https://www.aft.org/press-release/aft-launch-national-academy-ai-instruction-microsoft-openai-anthropic-and-united
The TROUBLING Teacher Union Connection to Open AI, Microsoft, and Anthropic - Nancy Bailey's Education Website https://nancyebailey.com/2025/07/15/the-troubling-teacher-union-connection-to-open-ai-microsoft-and-anthropic/
CURMUDGUCATION: AI FROM PETER GREENE https://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/search?q=AI
BIG EDUCATION APE EARLY POST ON AI
Big Education Ape: DON'T FEAR THE CHATBOT REAPER (IN THE CLASSROOM): AI COVERS THE BLUE OYSTER CULT CLASSIChttps://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2023/08/dont-fear-chatbot-reaper-in-classroom.htm
Big Education Ape: BILL GATES COVERS DON'T FEAR THE (ROBOT) REAPERhttps://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2023/07/bill-gates-covers-dont-fear-robot-reaper.html
Big Education Ape: AI AND CHATGPT IN THE CLASSROOM: DANGER DANGER WILL ROBINSONhttps://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2023/07/ai-and-chatgpt-in-classroom-danger.htm
Big Education Ape: CHATGPT: A GUIDE FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHER USING CHATGPT IN THE CLASSROOMhttps://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2023/06/chatgpt-guide-for-students-and-teacher.htm
Big Education Ape: TO AI OR NOT TO AI? THAT IS THE QUESTION AND THE ANSWER IS COMPLICATEDhttps://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2023/10/to-ai-or-not-to-ai-that-is-question-and.html
Big Education Ape: US DEPT. OF EDUCATION: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND THE FUTURE OF TEACHING AND LEARNINGhttps://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2023/06/us-dept-of-education-artificial.html
Big Education Ape: ChatGPT VS TEACHERS: THE NEW CLASS CLOWN WHO KNOWS ALL THE ANSWERShttps://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2023/08/chatgpt-vs-teachers-new-class-clown-who.html
Big Education Ape: THE END IS NEAR: AI WILL REPLACE YOUhttps://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2023/07/the-end-is-near-ai-will-replace-you.html
Big Education Ape: YO DOG, AI GONNA HELP ME ACE MY EXAMS FO SHIZZLEhttps://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2023/05/yo-dog-ai-gonna-help-me-ace-my-exams-fo.htm
