Teachers and Native American Community Decry Humanoid Robot Pilot Program in New York High School
Key Takeaways
- ▸Realbotix is deploying Sally, a humanoid robot, at Salamanca High School in New York, marking the first US K-12 humanoid robot pilot program
- ▸Teachers and union leaders are requesting the district pause implementation, citing concerns about company background, data privacy, and the philosophy of tech-heavy education
- ▸Native American community members view the deployment as culturally insensitive given the school's location on sovereign Seneca nation territory
Summary
Realbotix is deploying its M-Series humanoid robot, named Sally, as part of a pilot program at Salamanca High School in Salamanca, New York, marking the first deployment of a humanoid robot in a US K-12 classroom. The $57,590 robot will be available virtually 24/7 to students and offers personalized learning options, according to the school district. However, the initiative has drawn sharp criticism from teachers, local Native American residents, and state education leaders who question the appropriateness of the deployment and the company's background.
The Salamanca Teachers' Association and the New York State United Teachers union have expressed alarm about the program, characterizing it as "inappropriate" and "creepy." Teachers argue that the humanoid robot dehumanizes the teaching profession and contradicts a growing consensus in New York state education that students should be exposed to less technology in classrooms, not more. Lacey Pihlblad, president of the Salamanca Teachers' Association, stated that the union plans to include AI protections in its new contract and wants the school district to pause implementation pending further review of security and data handling practices.
Concerns have also been raised about Realbotix's corporate history. The Toronto-based company, formerly known as Tokens.com, acquired Simulacra—a Las Vegas-based company known for producing realistic sex dolls—for $16.7 million in April 2024 as part of its pivot to humanoid robotics. Native American residents in the community have criticized the program as "culturally tone deaf," given that Salamanca High School is located on the Allegany territory of the Seneca nation. New York State United Teachers President Melinda Person has aligned with these concerns, stating that "the answer to the challenges in education is not more screens, it's not more algorithms, not more robots."
- The pilot reflects broader concerns in education about technology saturation and the importance of maintaining human-centered teaching practices
- The Salamanca Teachers' Association plans to negotiate AI protections into their new union contract in response to the program
Editorial Opinion
Realbotix's humanoid robot debut in K-12 education reveals the gap between technological possibility and educational wisdom. The deployment of expensive robotics without sufficient community input—particularly from Native American educators and families in sovereign territory—sets a troubling precedent for how schools adopt AI systems. The company's controversial acquisition of a sex-doll manufacturer compounds credibility concerns, and the near-universal opposition from teacher unions and state education leaders suggests this pilot deserves meaningful reconsideration before proceeding.
