AI Ethics Questioned as Detroit Candidate Drops Out

Candidate Withdraws Amid AI Controversy

A candidate vying for an open seat on the Detroit public school district’s board has withdrawn her application following questions about her use of ChatGPT in her application materials. The Detroit Public Schools Community District confirmed that Traci Ricks pulled her name from consideration on Wednesday, the same day reporters began inquiring about her survey responses. Ricks, who was scheduled for an interview the following day, has not publicly commented on her decision to drop out.

The Telltale Signs of AI Assistance

The controversy centers on a mandatory 13-question survey required for all applicants. One response attributed to Ricks, an educator and advocate, contained text that was unmistakably copied from a conversation with the AI chatbot, ChatGPT.

When asked, “From your perspective, what are the challenges facing our school district?” the response on the district's website read:

“ChatGPT You said: How should I respond to this question as it pertains to my interest in a vacant DPSCD school board seat: What approach would you take to help pass millage renewals, millage increases or Headlee override elections? ChatGPT said: Here’s a strong and strategic way to respond to that question, tailored to your candidacy for a vacant DPSCD school board seat.”

Similar language was reportedly used in answers to other questions, leaving little doubt about the source of the text.

The Debate: A Helpful Tool or Cognitive Laziness?

The incident has sparked a conversation about the role of artificial intelligence in professional and civic life. Board member Sherry Gay-Dagnogo suggested that using AI isn't inherently negative, provided the ideas are original. "As long as the thoughts were original and come from thinking — and that will become evident during the interview process — I don’t think that it is automatically something that is done negatively," she commented, adding that she supports using technology like ChatGPT as a tool to refine one's own perspectives.

However, experts in the field see a clear distinction. Stephen J. Aguilar, an associate professor at the University of Southern California Rossier School of Education, described the act of directly copying and pasting answers from ChatGPT as “cognitive laziness.” While acknowledging that AI can be an ethical tool for understanding issues, he stressed the need for critical engagement. “Folks really need to understand and interrogate what their role is in using AI,” he said.

A High-Stakes Race and Questions of Transparency

Ricks was one of 15 people competing for the seat left vacant by Angelique Peterson-Mayberry, who resigned in July. The appointed member will serve the remainder of the term through the end of 2026.

In addition to the survey, applicants were required to submit resumes and letters of intent. However, when Chalkbeat requested these documents, the district stated that a formal open records request was necessary. After the request was filed, the district invoked a 10-business-day extension to provide the materials, the maximum allowed under state law.

Candidate interviews have already begun, and the final selection will be made after board members score all application materials and interviews. The board is scheduled to vote on its new member at a public meeting on July 28.