Two items have been percolating within my community that pertain directly to Santa Fe Public Schools: 1) The use of an AI tool within the classroom; and, 2) the demolition of the EJ Martinez school building. I am sharing my position on both such that I am clear, going forward.

First of all, using anything that records and stores children’s voices scares the hell of me. Once data is captured, it can be stolen. Even if this Amira tool is useful, I can assure everyone that bad actors are already contemplating ways to steal the data and somehow monetize it. I shudder to think what would happen if a parent received a falsified “help me” message that emerged as a result of this AI tool. Furthermore, because the SFPS School Board has not deployed a comprehensive AI Policy (a policy on which I am now working), we are now playing behind the proverbial eight ball.

This is completely and truly unacceptable to me and I am researching this tool from both risk and benefit perspectives. I don’t care much what the Public Education Department says about the tool, what happens “on the ground” is what matters to me and I want to be clear about its value and its potential for harm, which I suspect is high.

As for the demolition of the Ej Martinez building and its future site use, I want to be clear: My position is that I will support ways to use the site for PUBLIC benefit. If we can find a way to use the site to enhance SFPS Students’ success, all the better. What I WILL NOT do is support the site’s use for ANY other type of school, whether it be a charter or religious private school, I WILL NOT support those uses. I’ve heard many ideas floated and to anyone who thinks that a charter/religious school belongs on a public site: FORGET IT. Public DISTRICT funds paid for the land, public DISTRICT funds are paying for the building’s demolition, and, therefore, the District should use it for PUBLIC DISTRICT purposes.

I will not sit on my hands on either issue and I want to thank the Santa Fe New Mexican for making me aware of the Ej meeting and about the AI tool. Sadly, had it not been for our local newspaper, I wouldn’t have known about either issue. However, now that I know, I am acting. But I will act in the DISTRICT’S best interest. I will not act on behalf of ANY special interest group or organization.