Published November 6, 2025
By RUBY IRANMANESH
This fall Carmel High School implemented several changes in response to the growing student use–both approved and prohibited–of artificial intelligence, such as updating the student handbook, creating the AI student council and attempting to introduce new AI symbols for class assignments.
When AI use became a larger issue at CHS due to the introduction of ChatGPT in 2022, many teachers were unsure of how to handle it. In response, the school determined last year that it was necessary to introduce several new rules and guidelines for AI so that there could be more clarification on the subject.
New AI symbols introduced for class assignments at CHS. Graphic by RUBY IRANMANESH
“[In the past] there was a lot of confusion about what to do if AI was used and what the consequences would be,” says CHS principal, Elizabeth Duethman. “Students were also confused as to when they could use it and when they couldn’t, so it needed to be clarified.”
To address this, Duethman created the AI student council last year so that she could receive student input before constructing a solid plan. This group of students consisted of the principal’s advisory council members who were interested in expressing their thoughts on AI. Also at the meetings, Carmel Unified School District curriculum specialist and AI expert Andrew Rodriguez helped provide insight.
“I brought some examples from other schools to the council, and then we talked them through and decided which direction we wanted to go,” says Duethman.
One of the main topics discussed was the introduction of AI symbols to be used by teachers when assigning classwork to their students. These three symbols would indicate whether the assignment encouraged AI, permitted AI or forbid AI, so that the students had more clarification.
Although the first and third symbols, “AI encouraged” and “AI forbidden,” have pretty straightforward meanings, many students and staff are confused about the “AI permitted” symbol.
“The AI permitted symbol indicates that students can use AI if they want, but it has to be cited as a resource,” explains Duethman. “So if you’re doing a research paper for a class and the teacher says AI is permitted, they are indicating that it is acceptable to use it as a tool if students want to but they have to cite it.”
Towards the end of the summer, the symbol idea was presented to CHS teachers, who were asked to include them in their syllabus when school started. Additionally, the three symbols were added to the student handbook.
Despite the majority of the staff agreeing that the symbol plan was a great start to limiting AI use at CHS, most of the teachers have not been incorporating the symbols into their classes.
“I haven’t yet used the symbols because I already say in my syllabus that this is a no AI class,” says English teacher Barbara McBride.
Many other teachers also agree that their courses do not require the use of symbols because the students already have access to their rules for AI in the syllabus. Furthermore, some individuals worry that the symbols may not actually enforce the rules because students could easily decide to ignore them.
“If a student has a strong moral code, perhaps the symbols could work, but I also think that any student could see them and just choose to make a different choice,” explains English teacher Lillian Owens.
Despite all of the new guidelines for AI at CHS, the CUSD district has not introduced any official district-wide rules for AI, but they are hoping to work on it in the future.
