The incident occurred at Hingham Public School in Massachusetts (USA). According to the school's report, while completing a History homework assignment, a 12th grade male student copied the AI's answers into an unfiltered paper. A school representative confirmed that students can use AI to build research topics and find reference materials, but are not allowed to copy the text created by AI.
To complete the History essay, while other students spent 7-9 hours, this male student used AI to complete only 52 minutes. With this action, the male student violated the rules of academic integrity and was downgraded from B to C+, with 65/100 points. In addition, the male student was also placed on probation by the school.
In response to the school’s punishment, the boy’s parents expressed their dissatisfaction, saying that the handbook did not clearly state that students were not allowed to use AI to complete their assignments. In response to the issue, the school said that there are regulations in the student handbook prohibiting the use of unauthorized technology, including copying, imitating the language and thinking of others and claiming it as one’s own product.
Child got bad grade in History, parents sue school. (Illustration photo)
Not accepting this, Mr. Harris and his wife filed a lawsuit with the Massachusetts State Court (USA), asking the school to lift the punishment for their son. Sharing with the Daily Mail, Ms. Jennifer - the boy's mother said that her son had achieved a perfect score on the ACT test and wanted to enter Stanford University or the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). "The punishment and poor score in History affected my son's chances of entering a prestigious university in the US," she said.
After carefully reviewing the evidence provided by both sides, the Massachusetts State Court (USA) decided to dismiss the parent’s lawsuit against the school in late November. The judge said that based on the current information, there was no evidence that the teacher had rushed to the conclusion that the student used AI to complete the homework.
In contrast, the school conducted extensive testing before coming to a conclusion, including using multiple AI tools to compare and review students’ homework times. Although the school’s regulations do not specifically mention the use of AI, teachers have repeatedly emphasized the importance of honesty when completing students’ homework.
Regarding the school's punishment, the judge concluded that it was appropriate for students who violated academic ethics. The agency even said that the punishment was relatively light. In case they were not satisfied with the conclusion of the Massachusetts State Court (USA), they suggested that the boy's family continue to file a lawsuit in federal court for settlement.
The incident has now sparked a heated debate about the use of AI in education. Some argue that the school’s actions are consistent with the principle of academic integrity and contribute to protecting fairness and transparency: “If students are allowed to use AI to complete their assignments, the authenticity and reliability of their learning outcomes will be reduced.” However, others argue that the school is strict and inflexible, and should guide students on how to use AI appropriately instead of simply imposing punishment.
Source: https://vtcnews.vn/con-bi-diem-kem-mon-lich-su-phu-huynh-kien-truong-ar910831.html
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