Long Beach Unified has launched surveys to measure what students and families think about the use of artificial intelligence — and computer screens in general — in classrooms. It’s a sign the district may soon develop new technology policies after public pressure has mounted to limit tech in schools.
The surveys, which opened earlier in October, ask students and parents about technologies in the classroom and how they affect learning, well-being, privacy and attention.
As generative AI and technology become increasingly integrated into education, multiple grassroots groups have emerged and pushed the district and school board to cut back on tech, saying it harms students’ learning and development and eats into the district’s budget. (LBUSD spent $2.5 million on laptops in the 2025-26 school year and is projected to spend the same this year.)
Long Beach parents spearheaded a local Schools Beyond Screens chapter, inspired by Los Angeles Unified parents who successfully lobbied LAUSD to pass a strict limit on devices in school. A student-led effort soon followed. In recent weeks, LBUSD students have resorted to performance art to tell the school board and district about their fears if AI use remains unchecked in schools: a generation of brain-dead zombies, they said.
Those efforts have gained traction. Long Beach Unified is establishing a workgroup of teachers, students, guardians, administrators and industry experts to shape the district’s approach to tech in schools, according to district spokesperson Eric Mitchell. Once the survey closes on Nov. 6, the workgroup (which will include members of the grassroots groups lobbying the district) will review the survey results and identify common themes. These findings, along with focus groups and research, may shape policy recommendations, Mitchell said.
Some are driving toward swifter action. Kim Tashkin, who helps lead Long Beach’s chapter of Schools Beyond Screens, said she hopes that the district passes a moratorium on AI as soon as possible, following the lead of New York City public schools and Los Angeles Unified, the nation’s largest public school systems.
The alternative is existential, according to Long Beach students who spoke at a recent board meeting. Decked out in zombie makeup, they told board members that “Zombies now roam the halls mindlessly using artificial intelligence because they cannot think anymore,” according to Paolina Cummings. She implored the board to regulate AI before the zombie apocalypse reaches all LBUSD students.
The student survey is available here, and the caregiver survey is available here.