Two Tennessee school districts are moving in similar directions on student technology use this fall, though at different speeds. Hamblen County has already rolled out new policies on artificial intelligence and safety. Knox County is still working through what its rules will look like.
According to WBIR, Hamblen County schools put the new policies in place as students returned to class. The policies cover AI use and safety protocols but the district has not detailed exactly how students will be permitted or restricted from using AI tools in the classroom.
Across the region, Knox County Schools is weighing whether to go further. As WVLT reported, the district is considering a ban on social media for students along with restrictions on how artificial intelligence can be used. No final decision has been announced.
The timing reflects a broader national conversation happening in school districts over how to handle AI tools that have become widely available to students and what role, if any, schools should play in limiting access to social media platforms during the school day or on school devices.
Both districts are working through questions that many schools across the country are confronting at the same time. AI tools have moved quickly from novelty to routine for many students, and administrators are trying to catch up with policies that were not written with those tools in mind. Social media presents a separate set of concerns, including distraction, mental health effects, and online safety.
Knox County's deliberations are ongoing, and no vote or final policy announcement has been scheduled as of the time of this report.
