January 1, Trump Pushes Bold AI Overhaul in Schools

Wyatt’s Take

• The Trump administration plans to shake up American education using AI, but with clear oversight to protect kids.
• The White House is calling for strong partnerships and new challenges to boost AI skills among students.
• Real school choice, not government control, will give families the power over how AI is used in the classroom.

The Trump administration is rolling out new partnerships and ideas to bring artificial intelligence (AI) into schools, aiming for American students to succeed in a rapidly changing world. The White House AI Education Task Force says this update will help young people become more competitive and keep America ahead.

First Lady Melania Trump stressed that while AI brings big opportunities, “watchful guidance” is needed so kids are not left on their own with powerful tools. She compared handling AI to raising children, saying,

“During this primitive stage, it is our duty to treat AI as we would our own children — empowering, but with watchful guidance.”

Major company leaders and government officials joined the latest Task Force meeting, pointing out that understanding AI is now a must for today’s students.

Dr. Corey DeAngelis, an expert on school choice, praised the First Lady for taking the issue seriously but warned against letting government planners make one-size-fits-all rules. He explained,

“The cat’s out of the bag, and in order for our kids to be competitive on an international stage — other countries are already leveraging AI in the classroom — we need to be able to use it as a tool for good.”

There are real worries about AI giving out bad information or causing students to rely too much on technology instead of critical thinking. Experts say AI tools do not always know what is true, and using AI too much could weaken learning. But as DeAngelis pointed out, past fears about new tools like calculators or computers never stopped progress.

“People have been fearful of different technologies over time, throughout history, and it’s those fears that have basically never come to fruition. So, if you think about the calculator, people thought that kids would never be able to learn how to do math.”

President Trump’s new AI Challenge is meant to get students and teachers excited about solving problems using these modern tools. This nationwide competition supports Executive Order 14277, signed in April, to push America forward in tech innovation and education.

DeAngelis also believes parents and schools should have the freedom to pick how AI is used, not just follow government orders. In his view, private and homeschooling families already show how well local control can work. He pointed to a private school in Austin, Texas using AI to personalize learning, while still making time for life skills and outdoor education.

If the government lets families use school choice—with tax credits and scholarships—parents could set the rules for AI in their kids’ schools. DeAngelis summed it up by saying decisions about technology should stay close to home.

“That’s how it works when you’re homeschooling, right? You have total control. I would recommend doing it that way.”

With tech moving fast, folks in the heartland want a say in how it shapes their children’s future. Real choice and careful oversight are keys to making sure American values are protected while still moving forward.

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Wyatt Matters

America’s families want innovation, but not at the cost of local control. Letting parents choose how and when AI enters the classroom, while keeping a watchful eye, will help our kids stay grounded and ready for whatever comes next.