The story of former Big Picture High School teacher Mario Mumphrey illustrates the nightmare scenario that misuse of artificial intelligence can create in a classroom.¶
In a July 7 letter recommending the teacher’s termination from Metro Nashville Public Schools, Superintendent Dr. Adrienne Battle outlined multiple cases in which Mumphrey allegedly used AI inappropriately toward his own students.¶
“Student X reported that from about October 2025 through early May 2026 you were creating AI videos of different students doing ‘TikTok dances.’ In his opinion, the videos were inappropriate due to the way you made the students ‘move their hips in weird ways.’ As a result, he started trying to keep his distance from you,” Dr. Battle wrote.¶
Mumphrey’s story attracted widespread news coverage, and multiple leaders of education committees in the General Assembly specifically referenced it in last week’s press release promising legislation next year to strengthen protections for students.¶
"The overwhelming majority of teachers are dedicated to educating and guiding the next generation of Tennesseans, but a few bad actors choose instead to abuse this trust and prey on the students they're meant to protect. No parent should ever have to question whether their child will be safe in the classroom," the lawmakers said in a joint statement.¶
Other Concerns about AI in the Classroom
Using AI to create inappropriate images, or even students themselves using it to bully, is one concern. Another big one is that students will use AI to cheat.¶
A Pew Research Center survey of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 published earlier this year found that more than half of teens say they’ve used AI for finding information and doing schoolwork.¶
Andrew Hostetler, Vanderbilt Professor of the Practice of Social Studies Education, says it’s important to remember that cheating didn’t begin with AI.¶
“Cheating is not really the issue. I think students have been skirting rules and finding ways to cheat for years,” Hostetler said. “It was TI-85 calculators at one point. It’s the internet. Every time a new tool comes out, it seems like students figure out creative ways to cheat.”¶
He says a better way to look at AI from a student perspective isn’t as a way to cheat, but rather as a “partner.”¶
A summer AI program established in Nashville by LEAD Public Schools is one example of that type of approach. Middle school students were encouraged to use AI as a “thought partner” to refine the project proposals they developed independently. AI helped students think through the resources they needed for their project and timelines.¶
“I think we could be thoughtful about how we are supporting students to use it with some integrity, and to think about what would be a step towards using AI as a writing partner, rather than doing the work for you, and what would that look like,” said Hostetler.¶
Providing AI Literacy
Vanderbilt University has also been spending time coming up with a better way to equip its own students with the tools they need to make more effective use of AI when they graduate and become teachers.¶
Hostetler says one key strategy is ensuring future educators have AI literacy and an understanding of AI tools.¶
“Understanding how to use them will help them make use of new tools when they come out so that their learning doesn’t get old,” Hostetler said. “If they understand the background of how AI works and functions and how different models function, then when new ones come out they can apply that learning hopefully.”¶
Five Recommendations
Vanderbilt’s research on AI in the classroom recently recommended five strategies to help teachers use AI effectively without losing the human element that makes great teaching.¶
1. Start small with low-barrier entry points.¶
Integrating simple AI tools for education that automate everyday processes is an easy way to begin. Platforms like Gradescope assist with grading, while adaptive learning technologies such as DreamBox adjust content to fit students' learning needs.¶
2. Enhance participation and personalization.¶
AI-powered tutoring systems and game-based learning tools can make lessons more engaging and interactive, while adaptive AI learning systems tailor content to match a student’s learning style.¶
3. Streamline routine tasks.¶
Use AI to handle administrative duties, such as scheduling reminders or generating quizzes and flashcards. Tools that offer automated grading for written responses can also provide valuable feedback while freeing up teachers’ time for meaningful student interactions.¶
4. Leverage predictive analytics.¶
AI identifies at-risk students early by analyzing patterns in attendance, engagement, and academic performance to make data-informed decisions for guidance and support.¶
5. Pursue continuous professional learning.¶
Teachers can participate in workshops or online courses focused on AI for education and instructional technology in education. Some graduate programs specifically prepare instructors to integrate learning technologies, like Vanderbilt Peabody College's Innovative Design and Technology in Education (IDeaTE) Master of Education program.¶
Enriching the Learning Environment
Hostetler believes this work equipping future teachers to better use AI as a teaching partner will improve the learning environment itself. That could mean more efficient planning and test preparation in some instances or even using AI to better identify kids who need additional support.¶
“I think AI has the potential to help enrich the learning environment,” Hostetler said. “Actually supporting instructional moves that the teacher makes kind of on the fly or helps us make sense of student learning data so that we can make better decisions to support that student moving forward and designing curriculum for them.”¶
This is the second in a series of stories on AI in the classroom. Next week’s edition will take a closer look at how lawmakers view the technology and its potential in the classroom.¶
