A Veteran Teacher Speaks Out: How AI Is Undermining Education

This week on the podcast, I had the chance to sit down with a veteran teacher—known online as Dissident Teacher—who has 23 years of experience in the classroom and a clear warning for all of us: Artificial intelligence is quietly dismantling the very foundation of how kids learn.We covered a lot of ground in our conversation, and I want to highlight some key takeaways here for those of you who want a deeper dive.📚 Learning is a pyramid—and AI is knocking out the bottom.Our guest explained how real learning builds from the ground up. Basic facts lay the groundwork for deeper understanding. But students using AI to complete assignments are skipping the hard but necessary work of learning, memorizing, and applying.🧠 Memory matters.If a student can’t recall basic information, they can’t make meaningful connections across subjects or ideas. Relying on AI to do the thinking short-circuits this vital cognitive process.🤖 Teachers are using AI too—and that’s a problem.More and more teachers are using AI to create lessons and grade assignments—many of which were AI-generated by the students themselves. It’s a feedback loop where no one is fully engaged in the learning process.📉 Students don’t have the knowledge to evaluate AI content.When students lack a strong knowledge base, they can’t judge whether what AI gives them is accurate or misleading. That’s dangerous—especially in a world where AI tools could be programmed with bias or misinformation.💻 One-to-one device policies are fueling screen dependency.Giving every student a device may seem helpful, but the long-term effects are serious:* Poor handwriting* Shortened attention spans* Weakened critical thinking* Diminished creativity⚠️ Who controls the AI controls the narrative.If education becomes fully dependent on government-approved AI tools, we have to ask—who’s deciding what our kids learn? And what viewpoints are being left out?As a mom and advocate for education rooted in truth and values, this conversation hit home for me. I know many of you feel the same way.So what can we do?💡 Here’s what Dissident Teacher recommends:* Limit your kids’ screen time* Encourage physical books over digital* Prioritize outdoor play and imagination* Be the “project manager” of your child’s education* Seek out community with like-minded familiesWe can’t afford to be passive about this. The future of education—and our children’s ability to think independently—is on the line.🎧 Listen to the full interview on the podcast for even more insight.👉 Follow Dissident Teacher on X: @educatedandfree📬 Subscribe to her Substack: Dissident Teacher | SubstackRead Trump’s Executive Order on AI for Youth: Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for American Youth – The White House This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit juliebarrett1.substack.com