AFT, UFT and Anthropic Sign Binding AI Safety and Privacy Agreement for Schools

NEW YORK—The AFT and the United Federation of Teachers today announced a legally binding agreement with Anthropic that makes AI safety, privacy and transparency standards enforceable in thousands of U.S. K-12 schools.

The national AI Safety and Privacy Standard for Schools automatically applies to Anthropic’s existing agreements with school districts using Claude for Teachers and builds on its partnership with the two unions that includes the New York City-based National Academy for AI Instruction. Anthropic had already committed to the agreement, with today’s announcement marking the point those principles go formally into effect.

In May, as part of a 10-point plan to boost student learning, the 1.875 million-member AFT called for a ban on student-facing AI in elementary school, a screen ban in kindergarten through second grade, and a total ban on “social companion” chatbots before the age of 16.

“We said repeatedly that the guardrails for AI are just as important as any training we were doing for AI,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten. “That’s why I’m glad our AI Safety and Privacy agreement is now one step closer to an industry standard with Anthropic joining us. And while we want this standard embedded in law, the action we’re taking today is proof positive that we can create a future that is safer for our students, our teachers and our communities.

“In the almost total absence of federal and state AI regulation, we want to make certain no teacher or parent ever has to choose between AI tools and the safety and privacy of their children. This legally binding contract is how we build a world where algorithms and technology can never replace human judgment, relationships or responsibility.” 

The agreement sets enforceable standards for three key principles of safety and privacy:

• Student data is off-limits. Student and educator information may be used only for authorized educational purposes. It can never be sold or used for targeted advertising. Schools keep control over their data, including how long it is kept and when it is deleted.
• Educators stay in charge. AI products must include safeguards built for schools. Educators, not AI systems, remain responsible for instructional decisions and other consequential decisions about students.
• No “black boxes.” Schools, educators and families get clear, plain-language information about how AI products work, what data they collect, where they fall short and what safeguards apply.

In July, Anthropic launched Claude for Teachers, an AI tool designed for adult educators. Claude for Teachers gives verified U.S. K-12 educators free access to Claude, a library of teaching skills and a direct connection to evidence-based curricula mapped to academic standards in all 50 states.

“As society adapts to AI, we must work to protect and enhance the deeply important work of teachers,” said Elizabeth Kelly, the head of beneficial deployments at Anthropic. “That is only possible if teachers, students and school systems trust us. These agreements provide a foundation for that trust. We will live up to them and build on them for our education approach globally.”

“This latest agreement continues our work as educators to keep our students and their families safe. Ideally, the federal government would step in, but since it hasn’t, teachers unions are working to hold AI companies accountable. We are heartened that Anthropic sees the value of upholding student privacy and listening to parents and educators,” said Michael Mulgrew, president of the 200,000-member United Federation of Teachers in New York City.

Anthropic is a founding partner of the National Academy for AI Instruction, alongside the AFT, the UFT, Microsoft and OpenAI. At the academy, educators lead other educators in learning and deciding on the best and most ethical ways to use AI in classrooms.

The full agreement can be viewed here.