Schools Really Messed Up With Social Media. Now, We Have a Second Chance.

A decade after its widespread adoption, it's safe to say that U.S. schools utterly failed to acclimate our students to social media and to anticipate the profound damage it could do. The result of widespread social media use among students (said the U.S. surgeon general in a recent advisory) is increased anxiety, stress, and depression. As a school technology specialist working with a population of middle- and high-schoolers, I see firsthand parents' desperation when I host standing-room-only sessions about social media and mental health. With the swift emergence of A.I., educators have an opportunity to do better. This summer, K–12 schools must get to work drafting academic policies governing the use of A.I. and facilitating professional development for teachers about the new technology.