Schools are catching on to Big Tech’s playbook

Drawing from Natasha Singer's book *Coding Kids*, this article examines how major tech companies over the past 15 years embedded themselves in K-12 education, promoting coding and computer science under the promise of high-paying jobs. Companies like Google, Apple, and Microsoft created curricula featuring their own products (e.g., Chromebooks, Swift), while groups like Code.org, backed by tech moguls, fueled a coding-for-all movement. This strategy trained students on specific platforms, creating future consumers and workers. The article argues the AI industry is now using a similar playbook to pitch its tools to schools. However, a key difference today is growing resistance: parents and teachers are questioning the benefits, and major districts like New York City and Los Angeles have recently banned or restricted AI use in classrooms. Singer expresses cautious optimism that schools are learning from past cycles to seek a broader tech education that fosters critical thinking rather than just product proficiency.

(Source：The Verge)