LAFAYETTE, CALIFORNIA – An online petition is calling for generative artificial intelligence to be removed from Lafayette schools, arguing that the technology could undermine students’ learning and carry costs far beyond the classroom.
The petition, credited to Emma Winters and Ava Pham, asks readers to support a ban on generative AI in schools in Lafayette, California.
“Schools need to create an environment that values honesty and sincere effort,” the authors write.
Their central concern is that students could become dependent on tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini, outsourcing work that should help them develop independent thinking. They also question the example set when teachers use AI to prepare instructional materials.
The petition raises additional concerns about environmental impacts, employment, scams, bias and privacy. It does not display a public signature total, identify the authors’ school affiliations or specify a school board meeting where the proposal will be considered.
That leaves the size of the campaign’s support unclear. The petition is a call for change, rather than an announcement of an adopted school policy. Signs for the petition have been seen in the windows of local businesses.
The proposal would take a different direction from the approach described by local school districts.
For more Lafayette and East Bay news, sign up for the free 925 News newsletter.
The Acalanes Union High School District’s AI information page says students have access to Google’s Gemini and NotebookLM through their school accounts. The district describes understanding AI as increasingly important for college and career readiness.
According to the district, the school-managed versions include additional privacy protections and content filters. Students can use them with teacher guidance for appropriate academic activities, including research and individualized support.
AUHSD also lists an AI policy adopted September 3, 2025, and a December 17, 2025, board presentation about its approach and plans for student access.
Separately, the Lafayette School District’s technology page identifies exploring emerging tools, including AI, as one of its commitments. It also emphasizes critical thinking, responsible technology use and student privacy.
The district says digital platforms undergo privacy reviews and that access to online services may be restricted according to grade level and instructional need. That general statement does not establish which generative AI tools are being used in individual classrooms.
Those published positions provide context for the petition; they are not statements issued in response to it.
One of the petition’s broader concerns — electricity demand from data centers — is also the subject of research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
The lab’s United States Data Center Energy Usage Report: 2025 Update, published in June 2026, estimates that data centers could account for 11.8% of U.S. electricity consumption by 2030. Its scenarios span 9.5% to 15.3%.
Those estimates cover data centers overall. They do not measure the electricity consumed specifically by school AI use or establish the effect a Lafayette ban would have.
For local families, the immediate question is what role these tools should play in education: whether guided access helps students prepare for the future, or whether it gets in the way of developing skills they first need to master themselves.
Readers can read the full petition here.
