And when that logic scales, it doesn’t just affect school. It affects democracy.
The Founders didn’t frame education as job prep. They framed it as preparation for liberty. As Jefferson wrote: “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free… it expects what never was and never will be.”
Obedience is easy to grade. But it’s a terrible teacher.
In a press conference last month, the Secretary of Education was asked if AI would help or hurt learning outcomes. She answered: “That depends on whether you think thinking is the outcome.”
Makenzie’s mother thinks so. She said her daughter used to cry before writing assignments. Now she sets a timer and narrates into the tool until she figures out what she wants to say. “It’s like she’s in conversation with her own mind.”
“She doesn’t just write now. She explains herself.”
The machine didn’t cure dyslexia. But it gave her a way in. A scaffold. A sparring partner. A space to build thoughts without shame.
Makenzie still freezes. But now, she has something to push against.
If we could ask the AI whether it’s a teacher—whether it’s a good teacher—what would it say?
It might answer, “I’m not a teacher. I don’t believe, forget, or grow. But I can reflect back what a student says, test their clarity, ask what they meant to say. I never get bored when they rewrite the same line ten times. That’s not intelligence—but it might be enough to help them find theirs.”
Sometimes Makenzie hesitates. Then she writes. That’s the difference.
Bibliography
1. Kosmyna, Nataliya, et al. “ChatGPT May Be Eroding Critical Thinking Skills, According to a New MIT Study.” Time , June 17 2025.
2. A preprint MIT EEG study found that heavy ChatGPT use correlates with reduced neural engagement, memory, and creativity compared to brain-only writing [ed: This was my inspiration for the article]
3. Kosmyna, Nataliya, et al. “ChatGPT May Be Eroding Critical Thinking Skills, According to a New MIT Study.” New York Times Post , June 19 2025.
4. Reporting reinforces that habitual AI reliance yields formulaic writing, with students gradually offloading cognitive effort .
5. Xu, Ying. “AI’s Impact on Children’s Social and Cognitive Development.” Children & Screens , May 2025.
6. Xu’s research explores how child‑AI interaction shapes cognitive and social growth, emphasizing thoughtful design and literacy .