Humanoid Robot Goes to Class, New York Teacher Says It's Not Worth It

Illustration of a humanoid robot. Photo illustration: Pexels.

JAKARTA - The plan to use humanoid robots at a high school in New York has sparked protests from teachers and local residents. The program is considered inappropriate, feared to eliminate the human element in education, and considered culturally insensitive because it is implemented in schools with many Native American students. Native American is an indigenous community in the United States.

The Guardian, quoted Saturday, July 25, reported that a robot named Sally will be introduced at Salamanca High School, Salamanca, New York. The school is in the Allegany region of the Seneca Nation.

The humanoid robot is part of a pilot program with AI-based teaching assistants. The limited program is planned for fall 2026. For your information, humanoid robots are robots that are made to resemble humans, both in shape, expression, and how to interact.

Sally was purchased by the Cattaraugus County School District, which oversees Salamanca High School, for $57,590.

According to the program presentation, Sally will use a closed system. However, the robot is available virtually 24 hours a day for students who have access and offer personalized learning.

Realbotix said the district will be the first in the United States to use humanoid robots and AI teaching assistants.

In its press release, Realbotix said the Salamanca program includes the use of the Realbotix M-Series humanoid robot. The robot uses natural conversation, facial expressions, and real-time interaction to create a hands-on learning experience.

However, Lacey Pihlblad, President of the Salamanca Teachers' Association and a teacher at the high school, said the teachers' union was concerned about Realbotix's background and the security of the software to be used.

"We are very concerned about the security of the software they are implementing, whether data will be stored, how data will be collected, and whether there is a recording capability," said Pihlblad.

He asked school districts to delay using the robots and AI software until more parties were involved.

According to Pihlblad, New York is currently starting to move to reduce excessive exposure to technology in the classroom.

"Putting humanoid robots in classrooms to interact with our children, in my opinion, is a big step in the wrong direction," said Pihlblad.

The teachers' union is also finalizing negotiations on a new contract and plans to include protections related to artificial intelligence.

Criticism also came from Melinda Pearson, President of New York State United Teachers, the parent organization of the Salamanca teachers' union. He said teachers in Salamanca and educators throughout the state were concerned.

"Our members in Salamanca and educators across the state are sounding the alarm that this is completely inappropriate," Pearson told The Guardian.

Pearson said the initial reaction of teachers was that the program felt creepy. According to Pearson, the answer to the education problem is not more screens, algorithms, or robots.

"What we need in schools today is more caring adults and more human relationships," he said.

He emphasized that teachers are not anti-technology, but pro-children. For Pearson, machines that mimic the human relationship with students can actually encourage the dehumanization of the education profession. Dehumanization means the loss of the human element in the learning-teaching relationship.

The background of Realbotix is also in the spotlight. The Toronto-based company was previously called Tokens.com. In April 2024, Realbotix bought Simulacra, a Las Vegas-based company known for realistic sex dolls, for US$16.7 million.

Realbotix denied any connection with the sex doll company. The company also denied the assumption that the dolls produced by Abyss Creations, a subsidiary of Realbotix, were related to the Salamanca pilot program.

Beyond the technology issue, local residents also questioned the test location. Nearly 40 percent of Salamanca High School students are Native American.

Sierra May Abrams, a substitute teacher at Salamanca High School and a local resident, judged the school's selection to be culturally insensitive.

"Of all the schools in the State of New York, even in the United States, they chose to experiment on Native American children again," Abrams said.

He associated the concern with the history of Native American boarding schools that left trauma for the local community.

Alyson Brown, a public health specialist, local resident, member of the Seneca Nation, and Salamanca graduate, said many students have families associated with the Thomas Indian School in the Cattaraugus area.

"Many Native families see this pilot program as a repeating history," Brown said.

A Realbotix spokesperson did not respond to criticism from teachers and Native American residents, including calls for the program to be delayed. However, the company said the limited program involved Optio, an AI-based education assistant, and one unit of the Realbotix M-Series humanoid robot.

According to Realbotix, the program is intended to complement, not replace teachers. Students will have supervised access to AI and robotics devices as part of the STEM curriculum, namely science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

The Guardian said the Salamanca City Central School District and school superintendent Mark Beehler did not respond to several requests for comment.

The New York State Department of Education said it had contacted the school district regarding the purchase of the robot. The agency expressed serious concerns about student privacy, proper protection, and the risk of robots being used for functions that should be carried out by trained professionals.

"Technology can and should support educators and students, but it should not replace human judgment or accountability that is essential to a safe and effective learning environment," said Assistant Commissioner for Public Affairs of the New York State Department of Education, JP O'Hare.