Overview
- The Salamanca City Central School District finalized a contract to buy a humanoid teaching assistant from Realbotix and plans a fall pilot that will place the robot in 11th‑ and 12th‑grade coding, robotics and AI courses tied to the Woz Ed curriculum.
- Realbotix says the device, nicknamed Sally, will be stationary with lifelike silicone skin and an expressive upper body, and students can access a personalized avatar using a unique ID so the system can recall prior interactions.
- District officials and the company describe the system as closed and offline, saying it has no internet access, does not record audio or video, does not use facial recognition, and will not transmit student data to Realbotix.
- Parents and residents on Seneca Nation/Allegany Reservation territory have protested the rollout, citing the $57,590 price, limited prior community consultation, concerns about appropriateness for a high‑poverty school, and a desire for independent evaluation.
- The pilot sits at the center of wider debates over using commercial AI and robotics in under‑resourced schools, with officials pointing to teacher shortages and STEM benefits and advocates urging transparency about outcomes, privacy audits, and clear limits on classroom use.