A humanoid robot is being introduced as part of a pilot program, along with an AI teaching assistant, at Salamanca high school in Salamanca, New York, located on the Allegany territory of the Seneca nation.
Teachers have criticized the program, deeming it “inappropriate” and claiming it dehumanizes the profession with the introduction of human-like robots. Some local Native American residents have also criticized the pilot program, citing its implementation as “culturally tone deaf”.
The robot, named Sally, was purchased by the Cattaraugus county school district – which includes Salamanca high school – for $۵۷,۵۹۰. According to a presentation on the program, Sally will be a closed-loop system, but available virtually to students ۲۴/۷ for those with access, and offers personalized learning options.
The district will be the first in the US to deploy a humanoid robot and AI teaching assistant, according to a press release by Realbotix.
“The Salamanca pilot also includes deployment of a Realbotix M-Series humanoid robot, which uses natural conversation, facial expressions and real-time interaction to create engaging, hands-on learning experiences,” the press release states.
Realbotix, formerly Tokens.com, a Toronto-based company, purchased Simulacra, a Las Vegas-based company known for realistic sex dolls, for $۱۶.۷m in April ۲۰۲۴, marking a pivot for the company from crypto to humanoid robots.
Realbotix has denied ties to the sex doll company, and denied any inferences that the dolls – manufactured by Abyss Creations, a subsidiary of Realbotix – are related to the pilot program.
“The Salamanca teachers’ union as a whole is concerned about the background of the company of Realbotix. We’re very concerned about the security of the software that they’re implementing, and whether or not the data will be stored, how it will be gathered, are the recording capabilities,” said Lacey Pihlblad, president of Salamanca Teachers’ Association and a teacher at the high school.
“We would like to see the school district pause implementing the robot, pause implementing the software aspect of this AI technology until we can have more individuals weigh in.”
She said New York state is currently shifting away from too much technology in the classroom.
“There’s a growing consensus that indicates our students should be exposed to less technology. Placing a humanoid robot into the classroom to interact with our children, I believe, is a massive step in the wrong direction, and I believe that the majority of our teachers feel the same.” she added. “If we’re going to do something of this magnitude, I feel we need to make sure that we do it the correct way, and I’m not sure that that’s currently what’s in place.”
Pihlblad said the union was completing negotiations for a new union contract and intend to include protections around artificial intelligence.
Melinda Pearson, president of the New York State United Teachers, the parent union of the Salamanca Teachers’ Association, which represents teachers at the high school, told the Guardian that teachers across the state are concerned about the robot program.
“Our members in Salamanca and educators across the state are sounding the alarm that this is really inappropriate,” said Pearson. “I would say our initial reaction is this is kind of creepy.”
Pearson said it was “way out of the realm of what we should be doing in our schools”.
“The answer to the challenges in education is not more screens, it’s not more algorithms, not more robots. What we need in our schools right now are more caring adults and more human connection,” she said.
She said teachers were not anti-technology, but rather pro-child, and take positions based on whether something is beneficial for students.
“Putting a lifeless machine in front of students is a bad idea,” she said. “I would say a machine that the intention of it is to simulate a human relationship with young people who are just learning those skills of how to interact, how to be with their peers, how to solve conflicts, and putting a robot that looks like a human that will lead to the dehumanization of the profession of education, is exactly the wrong thing for us to be doing.”
Local residents have also criticized the selection of a high school with a significant Native American population to serve as the testing ground for humanoid robots in the classroom. Nearly ۴۰% of the high school’s student body are Native Americans.
The Seneca nation declined to comment to the Guardian.
“Out of all the schools in New York state, let alone in the US, they chose to experiment on Native American children yet again,” said Sierra May Abrams, a substitute teacher at Salamanca high school and local resident. “Our culture is struggling to stay alive due to the impact of the Native American boarding schools and what they did to our elders. We live on the only reservation located in a city so it’s just absolutely insane that we’re the ones ‘testing it out’.”
Alyson Brown, a community health specialist and local resident and Seneca nation member who graduated from Salamanca, said several students have connections to the traumas of Native American boarding schools.
“Many students have connections to relatives who attended the Thomas Indian school located on our Cattaraugus territory. Many native families are viewing this pilot program as history repeating itself,” said Brown. “I see nothing positive to come from this being introduced in the classroom setting. I worry for the cognitive development of young minds in this exposure.”
A spokesperson for Realbotix did not comment on criticisms from teachers and Native American residents or the call for a pause from the Salamanca Teachers’ Association.
“Realbotix and Salamanca city central school district announced a limited pilot for fall ۲۰۲۶ involving Optio, an AI-powered educational assistant, and one new Realbotix M-Series humanoid unit,” the spokesperson said by email.
“The program is intended to complement, not replace, teachers by giving students supervised access to emerging AI and robotics tools as part of the district’s existing Stem [science, technology, engineering and mathematics] curriculum. The partnership also gives educators an opportunity to evaluate these technologies in a controlled classroom environment under district oversight.”
The Salamanca city central school district and superintendent Mark Beehler did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
The assistant commissioner of public affairs for the New York state department of education, JP O’Hare, said the agency had been in contact with the school district regarding its purchase of a robot “and has raised serious concerns about student privacy, appropriate safeguards, and the risk that the robot could be used to perform functions that should remain the responsibility of trained, qualified professionals.
“Technology can and should support educators and students, but it should not replace the human judgment or accountability essential to a safe and effective learning environment.”
