Menin and Krishnan Write Letter to Google CEO Expressing Concerns Over the Pulling of Google Search From Schools that Ban AI

On Thursday, New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin and Council Member Shekar Krishnan sent a letter to Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, demanding clarity following media reports that the company intends to pull Google Search from schools that ban AI products for students — including the New York City Public Schools (NYCPS). The proposed policy shift from Google, announced November 3rd, would only permit schools to access Google Search if they allow students to use Google’s AI tools, such as Gemini. The letter also seeks information from the firm on AI adoption in schools, inaccuracies in AI responses to students, and maintaining educator choice of classroom learning tools.  

“The City Council will not permit Google or any private firm to abuse its market power to force its products into classrooms, particularly those that utilize AI,” said Speaker Julie Menin and Council Member Krishnan, Chair, Committee on Oversight and Investigations, in a joint statement. “No private company should have an outsized influence on the way our children are educated. Rather than giving more choice to our educators, as the company claims, this decision would force schools to embrace AI products in order to maintain access to the most widely used online search tool. The Council won’t sit idly by while decisions about our children’s education are effectively shifted from educators to the leaders of for-profit companies.”

In September of this year, NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a one-year moratorium on AI use for students in the city’s public schools from 2-K through eighth grade. Under the new guidance announced earlier this month by Google, those students would be in danger of losing access to Google Search, a vital research tool. A Google rep told the New York Times the firm cannot edit its infrastructure to separate its products from AI, including Google Search.

The full joint letter can be found here:

It requested that Google provide the following information in writing by November 19, 2026:

  • Will Google continue to allow New York City schools and students to access and use Google Search without opting into “AI Mode,” “AI Overviews” or any student-facing generative AI tools that Google is planning on developing or introducing?
  • If not, why not? Google has a proven track record of modifying products for children by disabling or restricting features that may be inappropriate for younger users. For example, YouTube Kids was specifically designed with features and content controls that differ from those available on YouTube. Why, then, can Google not offer a version of Google Search for students that excludes generative AI features?
  • What safeguards has Google implemented to ensure that schools retain genuine choice regarding AI adoption and that students are not effectively steered toward, or locked into, Google’s AI ecosystem at an early age regardless of the preferences of educators, parents, or school districts?
  • Gemini has been reported to provide inaccurate or misleading information, including in response to questions about the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. What steps is Google taking to ensure that students receive accurate, reliable, and age-appropriate information? How does Google measure, monitor, and mitigate the risk of AI-generated misinformation in educational settings?
  • Does Gemini, or any other AI products that Google has in the classroom, collect student data? If so, what is that data used for and where is it stored? Does Google earn revenue from selling or using this data in any way?

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