Family of High School Student Sues Over AI Cheating Allegation

The family of a Hingham High School student is suing the school after their son was accused of cheating for using AI to complete a history paper, as first reported yesterday by WCVB.

The lawsuit, filed by parents Jennifer and Dale Harris, could lead to significant changes in AI policies across schools in Massachusetts, notes WCVB. According to the Harrises, their son, a high-achieving student aiming for top universities like Stanford and MIT, was unfairly penalized for his use of AI.

Jennifer Harris, a writer, and Dale Harris, a school teacher, argue that the school punished their son for an infraction not clearly outlined in the student handbook. The family claims that the handbook did not address AI usage until after the incident, when the school updated its policies.

“They told us our son cheated on a paper, which is not what happened,” Jennifer Harris said. “They basically punished him for a rule that doesn’t exist,” as reported by WCVB.

The student, who had received a perfect score on his ACTs, was given detention and had his grade reduced. This punishment prevented him from gaining admission to the National Honor Society and put his college applications at risk, noted the WCVB.

In their lawsuit, the Harris family contends that their son used AI as a research tool, not to write the paper, and that his punishment was unjust.

“In my lay opinion, they violated his civil rights,” Dale Harris said as reported by WCVB. “They treated him and punished him more severely than other students,” he added.

Compounding the issue, the case has raised questions about the reliability of AI detection software used by many schools to flag AI-generated content.

A report by MIT highlighted that this detection technology is far from foolproof, with high error rates that have led instructors to falsely accuse students of misconduct. OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, even shut down its own AI detection software due to its poor accuracy.

“There’s a wide gulf of information out there that says AI isn’t plagiarism,” the Harris family’s lawyer, Peter Farrell, said to WCVB, calling for clearer policies in schools.

The school’s handbook, reviewed by ABC News, defines plagiarism as “unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author, including Artificial Intelligence.”

The handbook further states that a teacher who uncovers cheating must assign a failing grade for the assignment and notify the assistant principal for possible further action. However, the handbook lacks specific guidance on how AI can or cannot be used in academic work.

Jennifer Harris is urging the school to clarify its policies on AI and ensure that teachers understand and can effectively communicate these rules to students, noted ABC.

While the school district declined to comment on the lawsuit, the filing also calls for administrators to undergo training in the use of AI in education. The Harrises believe that while their son’s punishments cannot be undone, policy reforms could help prevent similar issues in the future.

“You can’t undo some of these punishments,” Dale Harris said to ABC. “But there are some things you can fix right now and do the right thing,” he added.

The case has sparked discussions about how schools should address the rapid integration of AI in academic environments, and it may prompt schools statewide to reconsider their policies on the use of technology in education.