Artificial Intelligence policies in Lee schools | Opinion letters

Sept. 19, 2026, 6:03 a.m. ET

• The School District of Lee County is developing policies for using artificial intelligence in classrooms.
• Parents will be notified about AI tools and can opt their children out in favor of non-AI alternatives.
• Estero residents are concerned that the I-75 expansion will increase noise and are requesting continuous noise barriers.
• Several letters to the editor express strong opinions on various political topics, including the current administration and upcoming elections.

Artificial Intelligence in schools

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing education, and the School District of Lee County is preparing policies to ensure these powerful tools are used responsibly, transparently and appropriately in our K–12 classrooms. Our policies will be built around the new rules adopted by the Florida State Board of Education. These rules establish clear protections for parental rights, student privacy, academic integrity and age-appropriate technology use.

Parents must be informed when an AI instructional tool is approved, including the tool’s name, the courses in which it will be used and how students will interact with it. Parents will also have the choice to opt their child into the AI tool or select a non-AI alternative.