The Virginia Mercury covered the legislative push closely as it moved through the General Assembly. Lawmakers including Sen. Stella Pekarsky noted that AI in schools “is something to be not feared, but also to be very wary of the very real negative impacts it can have if we allow it to proliferate unchecked.” Virginia Mercury That tension — between embracing the technology and protecting students from its risks — shaped every compromise in the final bill language.
A UVA education professor who serves as a faculty AI Guide told VPM News that educators “don’t want just guidance, but they want reassurance” — and that most teachers aren’t equipped to evaluate the AI tools vendors are pitching to their schools. VPM
That’s exactly the gap the law is trying to close. And it’s exactly the gap that creates the compliance work ahead.
Source: Virginia Mercury, March 2 and March 25, 2026