I'm writing this petition out of concern for the impacts of AI filtering software being used at China Spring ISD. My personal experience, as well as stories from peers, have brought to light the extreme privacy violations and obstructions this software presents. I had a friend whose academic freedom was stamped out when an essay he was writing about video games was blocked, simply because the subject matter triggered the software's vague and broad filtering criteria.

The AI software that our school uses, Deledao, is designed to constantly monitor each student's screen, track key movements, and observe keyboard activity. This constant surveillance feels more like a prison regime than an educational tool, creating an environment where students must second-guess their every action. Furthermore, it's not just academic work that suffers; any search result that coincidentally matches something on its blocked list results in the entire webpage being inaccessible. This hinders research, learning, and exploration, which are supposed to be the cornerstones of education.

For students like myself with accommodations such as a 504 plan, the constraints imposed by Deledao can be especially damaging. The software includes music in its filtering list, directly infringing on my right to use music as a learning aid in accordance with my 504 accommodations. This not only violates my educational rights but also undermines the learning strategies that have been tailored to my needs, as the school is supposed to provide the student with everything that they need on their 504 plan.

The stakes are high. Such invasive software does more harm than the security it claims to provide. Research by organizations such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation highlights that over-reliance on such surveillance technology breeds distrust, undermines privacy, and inhibits genuine learning. It is crucial that we explore more balanced solutions that protect students without compromising their privacy or educational freedoms.

We urge the China Spring ISD school board to reevaluate their use of Deledao and consider implementing less intrusive, more precise methods of ensuring online safety. By doing so, we can foster an environment of trust and respect, where learning and privacy coexist harmoniously.

Please sign this petition to voice your support for removing AI filtering software from our schools in China Spring ISD. Together, we can advocate for a secure and open educational environment for all students.