Dr. Michael Conner, CEO and Founder of the Agile Evolutionary Group and host of Voices for Excellence, recently welcomed Ken Shelton—international keynote speaker, author, and one of the leading national voices on artificial intelligence in education—for a special Black Excellence Series conversation. Together they set the stage for a discussion on Black history, digital equity, and the urgent need to embed ethics and equity into the design and deployment of AI in schools.
History as Foundation, Not Footnote
At the center of today’s educational transformation is a dual imperative: to teach a full, unsanitized account of history while also preparing students to navigate a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence. Both tasks demand courage, clarity, and a commitment to equity.
Black history, for example, is too often reduced to oversimplified soundbites. The origins of Black History Month remind us that celebration without context is superficial. A deeper, more rigorous exploration equips students with the capacity to understand liberation, solidarity, and the interconnectedness of social struggles.
Moving Beyond the Bandwagon Effect in Technology
That same ethos must guide our approach to technology. Artificial intelligence has become the new electricity of the modern world. But without intentional design and deployment, it risks amplifying inequities.
Districts frequently adopt tools based on cost or popularity—the “bandwagon effect”—without aligning them to core learning goals. High-volume tech paired with low-order thinking tasks does little to elevate instruction. Instead, leaders must define the problems AI is solving, ensure implementation enhances pedagogy, and evaluate whether products are designed with cultural responsiveness at their core.
Students as Partners, Not Suspects
Perhaps the most persistent misconception surrounding AI is that students use it primarily to cheat. In reality, many young people approach AI as a thought partner—brainstorming ideas, refining writing, or breaking through creative blocks.
Educators who lean into this reality can shift the narrative. By teaching AI ethics and responsible use, schools build both AI literacy and trust. The focus should be on guiding students toward long-term learning, not policing short-term shortcuts.
Dismantling Barriers Before They Form
Ultimately, the opportunity for education in the “AC” stage—After COVID—comes down to one charge: dismantle anticipatory barriers. Leaders must design policies and technologies that anticipate diverse needs, confront inequities before they calcify, and ensure innovation does not outpace inclusion.
When history is taught in full and AI is applied responsibly, schools can become places where equity is not just an aspiration but the operating principle.
Onward and upward.
