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On Sept. 23, 2026, a petition launched in Montgomery County in Kentucky. Spearheaded by high school student Alex Williams, the petition aims to ban AI use in posters promoting school-sanctioned events.
“We have art classes and graphic design classes that could do this and put it on their resume, but they can’t do that because of the AI posters,” Williams told The New Edu.
Debates and conversations on AI use in schools are happening across the country. Many students, like Williams, are fighting for their voices to be heard. Students in Washington recently staged a walkout, demanding AI regulation in their schools. In January, students at a California High School also launched a petition to stop the use of AI in the school’s Instagram posts and class yearbook.
What inspired the petition, Williams said, was walking around the school and noticing how many posters look AI generated. It makes the school look unprofessional, in his opinion.
Williams said he did not bring up the petition to the administration before making it, and they brought up a fair point, that he did not have a plan going into this process. They suggested he start a club, or drop the petition. (The New Edu reached out to Montgomery County High School for comment via email, and will update if we hear back.)
“I worry about students using AI, but I also worry about teachers themselves using it,” Williams said. AI in curriculum has been an ongoing fear for some students, which could lead to lack of trust or lack of effort in their own assignments. “I think there's a lot of students who use it to completely avoid work, but I also think there's people who use it because work gets repetitive and they already understand assignments,” Williams said.
Some commenters on the petition echo these points: “When I or someone I know see something that is created using A.I, it instantly loses its value,” one wrote.
“As a former newspaper/yearbook editor at MCHS, I remember the importance of my work being shared with the student community!” wrote another commenter. “School is about growth and experience, not perfection. Let our students grow their skills!
With more than 450 signatures in two weeks, Williams’ petition has gained traction in Montgomery County and Kentucky as a whole. Although Williams does not know what the future of this effort will be, the community response amplifies the need for student perspectives on the use of AI in schools.
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