There’s a rumor floating around Monte Vista High School: AI tools might be unblocked next year. Some say it’s happening for sure, others think it’s just wishful thinking. So, let’s bust this myth—or perhaps confirm it!
“AI is already a huge part of the world, so blocking it in school doesn’t make much sense,” sophomore Rohan Sandhu said. “Instead of pretending it doesn’t exist, we should be learning how to use it the right way.”
Monte Vista is part of the San Ramon Valley Unified School District (SRVUSD), and it, like everyone else, has been talking about AI a lot lately. They see it as a tool that could help students learn and think more critically—which is great, as long as you don’t just ask it do your homework for you. Kelly Hilton, the district’s Director of Technology, confirmed that they are looking into AI’s role in education.
“We’re figuring out how to use AI to help students think better, but also when it’s not okay to use it,” Hilton said.
Dr. Kevin Ahern, Monte Vista’s principal, further elaborated on this newfound possibility of AI being used in the schools in the area.
“There is a plan in place where students will have access to AI at some point to some levels of AI,” Ahern. It would likely be in the confines of Google, using Gemini. There would be a teaching curve, teachers would have to be comfortable with the use. If we don’t help students understand how to use AI, we are crippling students when they graduate. It is super important for students to learn that AI is used to elevate your learning and elevate what you are trying to do, but has to be done in an ethical way.”
Gemini is a type of AI tool (like a super-smart computer program) created by Google. It can help with schoolwork—like answering questions, explaining tricky topics, or even brainstorming ideas—but it’s also designed to follow some certain safety guidelines.
Even though there’s no official plan yet, the school district sounds open to trying out AI in classrooms—as long as it’s used the right way. So, as long as there are clear rules to keep things safe and fair, it looks like AI has a bright future at Monte Vista.
