AI-Promoted Private School Exposed for Subjecting Students to Humiliating Tasks
Education policy writer Benjamin Riley exposed Alpha School, an American private K-12 network promoting AI-based teaching, for forcing prospective students through an 8-week boot camp involving humiliating tasks. Requirements included growing a paid X account to 100 followers, monitoring heart rate spikes while watching videos of parental scolding, and doing unpaid labor like scrubbing gas station toilets. The controversy highlights ethical dangers when EdTech entities use AI marketing buzzwords to obscure harmful and unproven psychological practices. It underscores growing skepticism among experts who caution that replacing human educators with algorithmic tools can result in mistreatment rather than meaningful learning. Academic requirements included mastering an entire Advanced Placement (AP) course unit in five days using only an AI chatbot without teacher guidance. When asked for a response, Alpha School deflected by questioning the ethics of reporting on minors' social media posts rather than addressing the humiliating requirements.
## BACKGROUND
Alpha School is a private school franchise that heavily markets its '2 Hour Learning' concept, claiming AI software can deliver personalized instruction faster than human teachers. Proponents of EdTech argue that AI can tailor learning speeds, but critics point out that stripped-down algorithmic education often lacks pedagogical grounding and oversight.