A federal court in Massachusetts has backed a school's decision to penalize a student who used AI for homework without disclosure. The case could set an important precedent for how schools handle AI usage.
According to court documents, the Hingham High School student used Grammarly's AI features for a history assignment without acknowledgment. While the school's Turnitin software flagged the violation, the deception was clear even without it: The assignment included AI-generated citations from non-existent books, with references to a fictional author named "Jane Doe."
The school's response was firm: The student received zero points for two of six project sections and had to serve Saturday detention. This dropped their history grade from a B to a C+.
Parents challenge penalties without success
The student's parents took legal action, noting their child's previous academic excellence, including top SAT scores. They claimed the school's AI policies lacked clarity and argued the penalties could damage their child's elite college prospects.
But the court sided with Hingham High School. The judge determined that the school had properly educated students about general academic integrity and AI usage rules, specifically citing English class instruction that required students to disclose AI use.
The ruling also stated that the penalties were within reasonable school discretion and reinforced that courts should avoid interfering with school disciplinary decisions unless they're arbitrary.
Schools adapt to AI reality
The case shows how educational institutions are developing strategies for AI in academia. Some teachers embed hidden LLM prompts in assignments or design specific tasks to identify AI use. Other schools allow AI tools but require students to document their entire process.
Hingham High School has taken a middle ground approach: Students can use AI for research and brainstorming, but must disclose any direct text use.
The ruling reinforces that schools can discipline students for AI-related cheating, even without formal AI policies in place. It also underscores three ongoing challenges for schools: spotting AI use, choosing fair penalties, and staying within legal bounds.
