More than 1,500 school districts nationwide are using a digital tool called Gaggle, which uses artificial intelligence to monitor students’ school devices for signs of unsafe behavior. Complaints that the technology, designed to provide around-the-clock safety management for K-12 students, has been inaccurate are raising questions about its potential impact on student privacy.
The platform tracks online activity for roughly 6 million students across the country, making it one of the most widely used AI-based monitoring tools in K–12 education.
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Concerns in Lawrence, Kansas
In Lawrence, Kansas, some high school students say Gaggle has flagged and even deleted content that wasn’t harmful. The Washington Post reported an art student’s portfolio was partially removed after being flagged.
Lawrence Public Schools introduced Gaggle in 2023, saying the system is meant to identify students at risk, provide support and help maintain a safer school environment. The district said the tool scans for signs of self-harm, depression, suicidal thoughts, substance abuse, cyberbullying and credible threats of violence.
Current and former students sued the district in August, claiming Gaggle’s monitoring is unconstitutional. They say it can discourage students from discussing mental health or using school devices freely.
Records obtained by a student in Lawrence showed Gaggle flagged more than 1,200 instances of content over a year, including material related to violence, drugs, sex or mental health.
Similar issues in Washington state
Similar concerns have surfaced in Washington state, where students and parents report that the monitoring can feel intrusive and discourage teens from seeking help or expressing themselves online. LGBTQ+ students are especially vulnerable to being inadvertently outed through the system, according to reporting by the Seattle Times.
Case study: monitoring in Gordon ISD
Gordon Independent School District in Texas has used Gaggle for more than five years to monitor student activity on school-issued devices, a case the company highlights as a success story.
In one example, a Gaggle alert flagged a student document that suggested the possibility of online exploitation. District staff contacted the student’s family and provided counseling support. According to the district, the student later spoke to peers about online safety, using the situation as a learning opportunity.
Gaggle states that flagged content is reviewed by trained safety personnel before schools are notified, a process intended to reduce false alarms.
Privacy rules and company policy
Gaggle says protecting student privacy is a top priority, and that it follows all federal and state rules, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA. Under the law, schools are responsible for keeping personally identifiable information in students’ education records secure, according to their website.
The company says it uses student data only to operate its safety tools and does not repurpose or share the information unless a school explicitly authorizes it.
FERPA allows some exceptions. Sometimes called the “school officials” rule, one provision lets schools share information with outside organizations that provide services the school would normally handle. These outside parties must remain under the school’s oversight and follow strict rules for handling student data.
What do researchers say about AI and student safety?
A 2023 RAND Corporation study examined the use of artificial intelligence programs in K–12 schools to identify students at risk for suicide and self-harm. Researchers found that AI monitoring can help school staff and parents detect potential mental health concerns, but there is limited data on whether these tools actually improve student outcomes.
The study also noted potential downsides. AI-based monitoring may compromise student privacy and could reinforce existing inequalities. Many schools lack the resources to respond effectively to mental health alerts, and parents, students and even health care providers may not fully understand how the systems work.
