Utah Researcher Says Schools Should Be Free to Refuse Generative AI

A University of Utah College of Education researcher is among the co-authors of a new article in Educational Researcher arguing that schools should be free to refuse generative artificial intelligence, when the risks outweigh the benefits. The essay contends that education’s default response to new technology is often optimism, even when concerns still remain about disparities, privacy, and overreliance.

The article, Refusing Educational Technology: Artificial Intelligence, Inequity, and the Problem of Critical Optimism, says refusal is not a rejection of all technology, but a legitimate stance for educators, administrators, and policymakers facing unproven tools that may cause scalable harm. The article’s authors outline three forms of refusal for educational settings: curricular, bureaucratic, and administrative.

Read more in the full article: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.3102/0013189X261466234

The article appears in Educational Researcher, a peer-reviewed journal published by the American Educational Research Association (AERA), the most prominent international professional organization in educational research.

University of Utah professor David Stroupe is a co-author on the article. His research focuses on ambitious and equitable science teaching and teacher education.

The essay argues that schools should slow down before adopting generative AI at scale, and should ask whether a given technology does more harm than good.

About the University of Utah College of Education
The University of Utah’s College of Education advances teaching, learning, and leadership through research, practice, and community engagement. The college prepares educators and leaders who make meaningful contributions locally and globally.

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