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Public Testimony

Mariela on fears as parent of incoming kindergartener

New York City Council · Jun 24, 2026 · starts 4:46:17 · 2 min 5 sec

Mariela, a parent of a child entering kindergarten, expresses fear about AI in classrooms, saying it is 'almost negligent' to put chatbots in front of the most vulnerable population. She describes parents working hard to limit technology at home only to have schools introduce AI, and calls for immediate action before summer.

Carmen N. De La Rosa

You may begin.

Carmen N. De La Rosa

We hear you.

Carmen N. De La Rosa

You may begin.

Member of the Public - Mariela

Oh, amazing.

Member of the Public - Mariela

Oh, thank you.

Member of the Public - Mariela

I'm walking because I'm leaving from work.

Member of the Public - Mariela

Thank you for hosting this.

Member of the Public - Mariela

My name is Mariela.

Member of the Public - Mariela

My daughter just turned five and she's going into kindergarten in the fall.

Member of the Public - Mariela

And I am so concerned and worried.

Member of the Public - Mariela

About

Member of the Public - Mariela

All of this technology, AI in the classroom.

Member of the Public - Mariela

I know so many parents that live in Greenpoint who are so careful with their kids.

Member of the Public - Mariela

We work so hard to keep, to limit the amount of technology

Member of the Public - Mariela

with our kids and then now I find out that I'm going to be sending my daughter to school and she's going to be

Member of the Public - Mariela

in front of a screen with a chatbot that she's going to learn that she can just ask questions to the chatbot instead of coming to talk to me.

Member of the Public - Mariela

I think it's ridiculous.

Member of the Public - Mariela

It is

Member of the Public - Mariela

dangerous.

Member of the Public - Mariela

It is almost negligent to know all of the risks that we know of with technology and the internet and to put this in front of our kids, the most vulnerable

Member of the Public - Mariela

population that we have, to put this in front of them and just, you know, hope for the best.

Member of the Public - Mariela

We definitely need to put a stop to this, like right now, before.

Member of the Public - Mariela

I know that this summer is going to start, and I don't know what happens in the public schools.

Member of the Public - Mariela

Everybody goes on vacation.

Member of the Public - Mariela

I have no idea.

Member of the Public - Mariela

But we cannot be so slow to...

Member of the Public - Mariela

Do something about this, considering we are so fast to incorporate AI and technology in the schools, and yet we're so slow to actually do something to show that we care about our kids.

Member of the Public - Mariela

Thank you.

Carmen N. De La Rosa

Thank you so much.

Carmen N. De La Rosa

Thank you for your testimony.

Carmen N. De La Rosa

Now, our next...

Carmen N. De La Rosa

Witness is Sonali Thacker.