The Salamanca City Central School District in New York has paused the introduction of a humanoid teaching assistant named "Sally" after concerns were raised by parents and teachers regarding its manufacturer, Realbotix, which is affiliated with RealDoll, known for producing AI-powered sex dolls. The district purchased the robot for $57,590 to assist in coding, robotics, and artificial intelligence classes for 11th and 12th graders.
Concerns emerged regarding the appropriateness of using a robot linked to a company that produces sex dolls in educational settings. New York State United Teachers President Melinda Person stated that a robot from such a company should not be in classrooms. Additionally, parents expressed worries about the handling of students' personal information when logging into the robot, which is designed for individualized tutoring.
Realbotix maintains that it operates independently from RealDoll and that "Sally" is specifically manufactured for educational purposes. The district has paused the rollout while it collaborates with state education officials to enhance student data privacy agreements. Salamanca serves approximately 1,300 students, with a significant percentage identifying as Native American and economically disadvantaged. State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa has also raised concerns about the robot's role in the classroom.
The district's superintendent, Mark Beehler, emphasized that the robot is intended to assist rather than replace teachers, asserting that teaching is fundamentally a human process.