Could AI robots come to your child’s classroom? We asked districts in Onondaga County
Mon, July 27, 2026 at 5:49 PM
UpdatedMon, July 27, 2026 at 5:55 PM
Humanoid artificial intelligence robots could be coming to your child’s classroom (Photo by Cheng Chia Huang/Getty Images).
SYRACUSE, N.Y. —Artificial intelligence isn’t new. However, in recent years, it’s all anyone can talk about
Currently, the topic of A.I. humanoid robots in classrooms has been at the forefront of people’s minds. This comes after a school district near Buffalo, the Salamanca City Central School District, had planned to introduce this in classrooms
That school district decided to put a pause on this pilot program after they received backlash. Backlash was especially felt coming from the New York State United Teachers. The union had claimed the A.I. company that the Salamanca School District had planned to work with had ties to sex dolls. That company is Realbotix
Artificial intelligence is already being used across the country in schools. Educationally, teachers are seeing a disconnect in students’ work due to this
Maria Navarro is a retired teacher from California. She said, “Our principal made us implement some of the strategies using A.I.”
“A lot of the time, I had to remind them that they need to do the work because A.I. was doing everything for them,” Navarro continued
Firsthand, she saw the decrease in learning that came alongside using artificial intelligence in school. She claimed that ChatGPT was writing all of her students’ projects
Along with the educational aspect, Navarro also brought up the emotional impact a humanoid robot in a class could have
“You’ve got to make the relationships with the students because you have to make them want to learn,” explained Navarro
New York State Senator Rachel May echoed what Maria Navarro had shared
“We need kids interacting with actual humans in the classroom. That should be the focus of classroom teaching,” said Senator May
The New York State United Teachers shared these same views about the idea of an A.I. robot in the classroom that Senator May and Navarro had. The union has put out multiple statements strongly disagreeing with this idea
The President of the Union, Melinda Person, put out this statement:
A robot built by a company associated with sex dolls has no business in our classrooms. Our students don’t need robots. They need real relationships with caring adults. Educators notice when students are struggling, celebrate when they succeed and help them discover who they can become. No robot can do that, no matter how lifelike its skin or specific its regional accent. NYSUT is committed to fighting thoughtless expansion of this technology, and we will explore every avenue necessary to protect human-centered learning in Salamanca and in every classroom across this state.
Senator May tied all of this with the New York State cell phone ban from last year, specifically with the success schools are having without phones in the classroom. She explained that kids are more engaged with each other
CNY Central also reached out to New York State Senator Chris Ryan. He said that while artificial intelligence can be a powerful tool to help students learn, it also cannot be used to replace a teacher “who can relate to and educate our students on a real, human level.”
When asked about if there is a push for any legislation with artificial intelligence humanoid bots in the classroom, he said this:
The FY27 budget included several measures impacting AI, including outlawing AI-generated child sexual abuse material, support for workers displaced by AI, and more. We all know that technology in the classroom is essential, but new technology must be closely monitored to make sure it is benefiting and not harming students. The overarching concerns regarding the use of AI in our classrooms are valid, but we also want to make sure our students are taught how to use new technology. Any regulations that affect our students and classrooms will be made with great consideration and input from educators, state partners, and industry professionals. I am constantly evaluating new legislation that is introduced and will keep a close eye on this issue.
A spokesperson from Governor Hochul’s Office explained that Governor Hochul has repeatedly taken action to keep children safe online, while also creating healthy learning environments
Last year, she successfully implemented the nation’s largest bell-to-bell phone-free schools policy, and educators are already reporting improved focus and stronger classroom engagement. As technology continues to evolve, the Governor is in conversation with teachers, parents, and experts to ensure New York remains at the forefront of protecting students, while equipping them with the tools they need to succeed.
CNY Central reached out to seven different school districts in Onondaga County to ask whether artificial intelligence robots being implemented in schools were part of district discussions
Those districts are Syracuse, Liverpool, West Genesee, Baldwinsville, Jamesville-DeWitt, Fayetteville-Manlius and Westhill. The Liverpool and Westhill districts responded and both said this has not been a part of district discussion
As for the Jamesville-DeWitt School District, a spokesperson shared that administrators did not want to share whether this was a part of conversations or not
