Board cites data privacy and community concerns in reversing $60,000 purchase
The Salamanca City Central School District has paused a plan to station a humanoid robot called Sally in a high school classroom after state education officials, teachers and local residents raised concerns over the company behind the device, student data privacy and cultural sensitivity. The board approved the nearly $60,000 purchase from Realbotix earlier, envisioning the robot as a teaching aid for robotics and technology students.
“Having a difficult time programming an Arduino board? Don’t even know what an Arduino board is? Ask Sally and she can explain it,” Superintendent Mark Beehler said. “The robot also provides opportunities for students to learn how the robot is maintained, how it is updated with new approved content, and how to troubleshoot issues.”
Opponents pointed to Realbotix’s 2024 acquisition of a Las Vegas-based company known for producing hyper-realistic sex dolls as a red flag, and the New York State Education Department raised concerns about student privacy and the risk that the robot could substitute for functions best handled by trained professionals. The district, located in rural western New York, plans to make a final decision after further community input and vendor discussions later this summer.
The pause follows a demand by the Salamanca Teachers’ Association and the New York State United Teachers to halt the deployment, which they argued was inappropriate and raised privacy risks. As MSI reported on July 25, union officials also voiced concern about the company’s background and the program’s impact on a school where nearly 40% of students are Native American.