This top school is forcing students to use pens instead of keyboards to avoid using ChatGPT for essays

School

At one of New York City’s top public schools, the sound of typing is being replaced by the scratch of pens. Townsend Harris High School in Queens is making students write their annual summer reading essays by hand in class this September. The goal is to stop them from using ChatGPT and other AI tools to complete the work, according to a report by New York Post.

In the past, students could type these essays at home after reading their assigned summer book. But English teacher Brian Sweeney says too many students have been using AI for help. “We think in-class will allow for a more authentic representation of student thinking,” he told The Classic, the school’s student newspaper.

Not everyone is happy about the change. Some students say it is unfair to punish everyone for the actions of a few. One incoming freshman worries it will hurt students who write slowly, while others prefer the flexibility of working from home.

Supporters of the new rule believe it will help keep things fair. Yasmeen Ismail, a junior and co-editor of The Classic, called it “a reasonable first step.” Fellow editor Ryan Chen said it will encourage students to actually read their assigned books instead of relying on AI summaries.

The debate over AI use in schools is growing across the country. A survey of 2,000 high school and college students in May found that 97 percent had used ChatGPT or similar tools. Many say the rules are unclear, which makes it tempting to cheat just to keep up.

Some schools have no rules about AI at all, while others have strict penalties. Students say enforcement is inconsistent, and sometimes even unusual word choices can cause suspicion. “High school should be where you learn how to write and think,” said Scheherazade Schonfeld, a junior at Hunter College High School. “ChatGPT has not replaced that, but teachers should show us how to use it the smart way.”

The New York City Department of Education lifted its ChatGPT ban last year but has not released clear guidelines on how students should use it. For now, Townsend Harris is keeping things old school by making students pick up their pens.