B.C. teachers call for safeguards and meaningful input as AI use grows in schools
As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly common in schools, B.C. teachers are calling for a careful and thoughtful approach that puts student safety at the centre of decisions about its use.
Findings from the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation’s 2026 annual membership survey show that teachers see both potential benefits and significant concerns surrounding AI in classrooms.
One survey respondent said generative AI could provide opportunities but stressed that it requires thoughtful regulation and input from professional educators, adding that AI should not be viewed as a solution to every problem.
Teachers identified expanding access to learning resources and reducing administrative workloads among the main potential benefits of AI. However, more than 80 per cent of respondents expressed concern that students could become overly reliant on AI or that its use could undermine the development of critical-thinking skills. Nearly four in five also worried that AI could make it more difficult to determine what students actually understand.
The survey received 4,423 anonymous responses from teachers across B.C. It was distributed to randomly selected federation members, with the final results weighted by school district. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.4 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
BCTF President Carole Gordon said AI is raising important questions for public education but stressed that technology cannot replace teachers.
Gordon said the relationships teachers develop with students remain central to learning, noting that teachers understand their students’ individual needs and use professional judgment every day.
The BCTF is joining the Canadian Teachers’ Federation in calling for enforceable safeguards, digital-literacy support for educators and greater accountability from technology companies to ensure AI systems are safe. The organizations also want teachers to have a meaningful role in developing policies, regulations and guidelines governing AI in public education.
In B.C., the BCTF is advocating for clear provincial guidelines on AI use in education that include meaningful teacher input. The federation is also developing a statement of principles for its members and organizing a think tank focused on guidance and best practices, including environmental, ethical and privacy considerations.
Gordon said teachers are on the front lines of education and should have a voice as governments and school districts determine how AI should—or should not—be used in schools.
The survey also highlighted broader pressures facing the public education system. More than half of teachers said their workload increased over the past year, while only 37 per cent considered their workload manageable.
Less than one-quarter of respondents said students’ academic, social and emotional needs were being fully or mostly met, while about half said those needs were being moderately met. Students with disabilities and other diverse needs were reported to be particularly affected, with 49 per cent of teachers saying their needs were being met only slightly or not at all.
Gordon said AI should not be viewed as a solution to these challenges, arguing that students need properly staffed and resourced schools, along with teachers who have sufficient time and support to do their jobs effectively.