Notes on AI, integrity,
and the classroom.
Written for educators and school IT by the team building Themisto EDU. What we see in real schools, what works, and what quietly doesn't.
We Watched a School Ban ChatGPT. Cheating Went Up.
Blocking AI sites feels decisive and looks good in a board meeting. Then students switch to their phones, the tools rebrand weekly, and teachers lose the only visibility they had. Here is what actually happened, and what works instead.
Tutoring or Cheating? Same Tool, Same Kid, Different Question
The whole academic integrity debate collapses into one observation: the tool is neutral, the intent is not. 'Explain photosynthesis' and 'write my essay' go to the same chatbot. Telling them apart is the actual job.
Write Your AI Policy Like a Teacher, Not a Lawyer
Most school AI policies are three pages of legalese nobody reads, enforced by nobody, helping no one. The good ones fit on an index card. Here is how to write one, with examples you can steal.
The Integrity Conversation Is Easier When You Have the Receipt
Accusing a student of AI cheating on a hunch destroys trust whether you're right or wrong. The conversation changes completely when you can open a dashboard and talk about a specific prompt instead of a suspicion.
1:1 Devices Made AI Everyone's Problem. A Playbook for School IT
When every student has a laptop, every student has a tutor, a ghostwriter, and a homework machine. A practical rollout guide for IT teams who just inherited the AI problem: what to deploy, what to skip, and what breaks.