Blue books won't save our children from AI

Blue books illuminate a central question about AI's impact on education, anchoring the article's theme as schools debate how to guard learning in an era of machine intelligence. The author suggests handwritten exams preserve space for independent thought, yet they do not resolve the deeper purpose of public schooling when near-infinite knowledge sits in students’ pockets. With federal guidance lacking, teachers and parents are negotiating how to balance assessment with AI integration in real time. The piece flags the coming political moment, noting that the 2028 presidential campaign could drive the first real AI-focused election and spur human‑centric regulation. It argues for a reimagined framework that centers student judgment and civic responsibility. More broadly, the piece calls for reauthorizing the Every Student Succeeds Act to prepare students for an AI-enabled economy, funding schools to teach judgment, writing, and collaboration with machines. It emphasizes that AI will reward better questions as much as correct answers. The author recalls voting in 2010 to adopt the Common Core Standards, a move Obama supported as education shifted toward the information age. The warning about regulatory inaction highlights risks from social media and calls for presidential and congressional leadership to establish a human-centered national AI framework.