NYT Opinion: Banning AI in Classrooms Is Creating a 'High Cost of Silence' — Students Disengage When AI Is Prohibited Rather Than Taught

A New York Times opinion essay published June 8 argues that AI prohibitions in classrooms impose a 'high cost of silence' — producing disengaged students who tune out rather than learn how to work alongside AI tools. The author calls for reform frameworks that integrate AI as a structured learning resource rather than treating it solely as a cheating vector. Published the same week AI-specific plagiarism policies are rated as only 28% effective by faculty in 2026 survey data, and as the SUNY system moves toward mandatory AI literacy requirements for incoming undergraduates.