A rural New York school district has suspended plans to introduce a humanoid AI robot into classrooms after parents, teachers, and state officials raised serious concerns about student privacy and the manufacturer’s connections to the sex doll industry.
The Controversial Purchase
The Salamanca City Central School District’s board approved spending nearly $60,000 to purchase the robot from Realbotix, a company whose sister business produces hyperrealistic sex dolls. District officials envisioned the stationary robot, already nicknamed Sally, would help high school students studying robotics and technology. Superintendent Mark Beehler defended the purchase, explaining the robot would answer technical questions and provide hands-on learning opportunities for maintaining and programming advanced equipment.
The Las Vegas-based manufacturer was selected because its robots already run WozEd curriculum from Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, which the district currently uses. Despite assurances that Realbotix operates independently from its sister company, the connection sparked immediate backlash from parents and educators in the small community located on the Seneca Nation of Indians reservation.
Opposition Mounts From Multiple Fronts
Melinda Person, president of New York State United Teachers, issued a sharp rebuke of the plan. She stated flatly that a robot built by a company associated with sex dolls has no place in classrooms, and emphasized that students need real relationships with caring adults rather than robotic alternatives. The teachers union also expressed fears that introducing Sally represents the first step toward replacing human educators with artificial intelligence.
State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa sent a formal letter to the district expressing continued concerns even after staff meetings with school officials. Rosa questioned the robot’s actual classroom role, noting that while district leaders claimed it would not deliver instruction, presentations described it as a tutoring platform. She also demanded clarity on data privacy and security protections for students.
Privacy Safeguards and Next Steps
District officials insist Sally will not collect personal student information, record audio or video, or transmit data back to Realbotix. The robot has been programmed to avoid inappropriate topics including sex, violence, and gambling, and cannot access the public internet or unvetted AI services. All information will be stored locally on the device, which consumes roughly the same energy as a laptop computer.
The pilot program remains suspended while the district negotiates enhanced student data privacy agreements with state education officials and continues community outreach. Beehler maintains that no robot could ever replace human teachers, describing education as an inherently human-to-human process that would never benefit from full automation.
