A former high school English teacher, Hannah Maria, has gone viral after announcing her resignation, citing the detrimental impact of technology on student learning. Her TikTok video, which garnered over a million views, highlights concerns about students’ overreliance on artificial intelligence (AI) tools and diminishing literacy skills.
Maria, a 10th-grade English teacher, expressed frustration over students’ dependence on devices like iPads and AI applications such as ChatGPT. She noted that many students prefer using technology for entertainment rather than educational purposes. “They want to use [technology] for entertainment. They don’t want to use it for education,” she stated.
In her interview with “Fox & Friends,” Maria emphasized the challenges posed by AI in the classroom. “I think AI can be in a classroom in a very effective way if we teach children in the older grades how to use it properly. But if we’re allowing them this unlimited access in the classroom to use AI, they’re not going to do the work themselves,” she explained.
Maria recounted instances where students submitted essays generated by ChatGPT and, when confronted, expressed a preference for failing grades over completing assignments independently. She observed that students’ attention spans have shortened due to the high stimulation of social media, and many lack basic reading skills because of read-aloud tools. “We’re at the point where I don’t really have faith in some of these kids that I teach,” she lamented.
Highlighting broader concerns, Maria pointed to declining literacy rates and test scores. “Look at the test scores and the statistics and the literacy rates from when students didn’t use technology to now,” she urged educational authorities. She advocates for limiting technology use in schools until college, suggesting a return to traditional learning tools like textbooks and handwritten work.
At least eight states, including Alabama and Missouri, have enacted measures banning or restricting students’ use of cellphones in schools over the past two years. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey remarked, “Smart phones have beneficial roles when used in proper settings. However, these often-disruptive devices have no place in our classrooms during the school day except for educational purposes or during an emergency.”
