Anderson County Schools ensuring student safety through AI software (WBIR)
Posted Date: 05/07/2025
ANDERSON COUNTY, Tenn. — Anderson County Schools are working to make sure students' mental health is being taken care of. That support carries far beyond the classroom.
"Gaggle is a subscription service that we have had for 9 or 10 years, and it monitors student behavior on electronic devices that the school system owns," said Wade Haney, Head of Technology for Anderson County Schools.
Gaggle uses an AI software that searches for keywords on a students device (that is loaned to the student by the school), that could show signs of a mental health crisis. It looks at things like the student's search history, emails they may have written or things like Google Docs.
The AI will alert an employee at Gaggle if it finds something it thinks could show signs of a crisis, and the employees will look at the alert in full context to determine its validity.
"Is it a potential cry for help? Is it an email that they've sent to their friend that they need mental health assistance, but they're afraid to talk to someone?" said Haney.
Sometimes the AI will alert Gaggle employees when there is no threat, for example, if a student is writing a paper for class and the wording needed for the paper may cause the AI to think the student is in danger. That's why the Gaggle employee will view the situation with the context.
If a student seems to be having mental health struggles, but is not in immediate danger, Gaggle will tell school administrators and they will get the student together with the guidance counselor or school psychologist.
If the AI does flag an immediate danger to a student, a Gaggle employee will call school administrators to let them know.
The school district said that a lot of the time, the call will come in the middle of the night.
School administrators will then tell the Anderson County Sheriff's Office, who will send a deputy to the student's home along with a member of the school district's mobile crisis team.
"Over five years, we've had...20+...In the middle of the night, across the district," said Hayne.
Leaders at the schools say they've seen an increase in mental health-related alerts since the pandemic, whether immediate danger or not.
That's why they're trying to be as proactive as they can in looking out for their students.
"So our goal is to really protect kids and students across the board. Whether it's from themselves, or from potential bullying processes, or things like that. Our goal is to protect them, from A-Z," said Hayne.
School Leaders say they understand parents may be concerned with the school keeping an eye on students while outside of school, but they say they're not trying to snoop, they're trying to protect kids.
"We're here for the well-being of the kid, not to snoop, but to make sure they're safe," said Hayne.
They also hope students know that if they need help, there are always options for them.
"I hope that they will look and see, 'Hey, Anderson County Schools really does care about me, and wants the best for me," said Hayne.
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