Schools, Tech, and Kids: Who's Watching the Data?

Schools are quickly adopting AI-powered tools to help teach students. These tools can gather personal info like voices, images, and handwriting. In early 2025, Worcester Public Schools tested a literacy app that recorded student voices to improve its AI model. Parents were not told about this test or asked to give permission. This is why someone asked the School Committee for clear rules. They want parents to know and agree before companies collect kids' biometric data or use it to train AI. This is not about stopping tech in schools. It's about being open, responsible, and having up-to-date protections. Biometric data is different from other info. You can change a password, but you can't change your voice. The Federal Trade Commission warns that storing this data can be risky. Once collected, it might be kept forever, used for other things, or sold if the company changes hands.Parents often don't know what data is being collected or how it's used. This starts in kindergarten and continues until high school graduation. Schools can give permission for data collection under a federal law, but this doesn't mean they should skip telling parents clearly. Schools already ask for permission in other cases, like research studies or media releases. If a school needs a parent's OK to share a photo, why should a company get a free pass to keep a child's voice for AI training? With less oversight from the federal government, local schools need to step up. Tech companies answer to investors, not families. School committees answer to the communities they serve.