Teenagers draft AI bill of rights as schools race to set rules

About 100 high schoolers gathered in Boston over the weekend to draft an AI bill of rights for schools. Their proposals landed in the middle of a fast-moving policy gap, where schools are largely on their own and students are already using AI tools in ways districts are still trying to define.

A Sept. 18, 2024 Common Sense Media survey found that 37% of teens were unsure whether their school had developed rules on AI use. The College Board says the adoption of generative AI tools like ChatGPT in high schools is no longer a future issue.

Teenagers were not just asking whether AI should be banned or allowed. They were sorting through the practical questions that determine how schools actually function: whether students can use AI on assignments, whether it should be allowed on tests and who should teach AI literacy in the first place. In March 2026, teens said they should be able to use AI to complete assignments, while parents disagreed, underscoring how far the debate extends beyond cheating and into how schools define learning itself.

The White House issued a presidential action in April 2025 called Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for American Youth, and by April 2026 New York City public schools had released guidelines for AI use in classrooms. More than 30 other states had also developed statewide guidance for AI use in public schools, leaving local districts to decide how much access to permit and how much training to provide.

On Oct. 16, 2025, Sheffield City Schools had an unrestricted AI policy in effect. The next day, the district changed its AI policy to allow students to access artificial intelligence programs after previously limiting access. Technology Director Steve Green said, "This is the future," and that schools could teach students how to use AI the right way.

AI literacy is essential for teens. Young people need to learn to use AI in ways that improve careers and everyday lives. The National Literacy Trust studied how children, young people and teachers used generative AI to support literacy in 2024.