Brooklyn Friends School’s Crissy Cáceres On Why Teachers Don’t Shy Away from AI Learning

At Brooklyn Friends School, a historic Quaker institution nestled in downtown Brooklyn, artificial intelligence isn’t viewed as a threat, but as a tool for expanding educational horizons. Head of School Crissy Cáceres champions an approach to technology that aligns with centuries-old Quaker values while preparing students for a rapidly changing world.

“I believe that artificial intelligence used in its best form is about equalizing the playing field,” Cáceres explains, articulating a vision where AI serves as a democratizing force in education rather than a divisive one. Her perspective frames technology not as something to fear but as a means to “further enhance what it is that they think about” and what students “ideate around.”

This philosophy marks a significant departure from schools that ban AI tools outright. Instead, Cáceres positions Brooklyn Friends School at the forefront of thoughtful technological integration, where students learn to harness these tools responsibly while developing critical thinking skills about their proper application.

The connection between this modern approach and the school’s Quaker foundation runs deeper than might initially appear. Cáceres points out that the foundational Quaker belief in recognizing “the Light” in every individual naturally extends to recognizing each student’s potential, which technology can help unlock in new ways.

“As a school, our orientation is how does this tool allow you to be even stronger in what you are aiming to present to others?” Cáceres says, framing AI as an enhancement to student capabilities rather than a replacement for genuine learning or creativity.

Setting Ethical Boundaries While Embracing Innovation

While embracing technological tools, BFS maintains clear ethical guidelines. Students using AI for research papers must credit how they used the technology, whether for expanding on their thoughts or generating initial ideas. The critical distinction comes in the purpose: using AI to enhance existing ideas receives the school’s blessing, while using it to replace original thinking does not.

“We do not bar students from utilizing AI in a research paper so long as they are crediting how they used AI,” Cáceres clarifies. “Was it to say, how do I expand upon this thought that I’m having or was it to say, build out this thought in an essay? Not the latter. Not the latter.”

This balanced approach acknowledges both the potential benefits and pitfalls of artificial intelligence in education. Cáceres recognizes the fundamental truth that AI exists primarily as a commercial tool. “It is based on algorithms. It’s based on systems of social control,” she adds. “It’s based upon money. It is based upon capitalism. That is why AI exists. Let’s be very clear.”

Her frank assessment demonstrates the school’s commitment to teaching media literacy alongside technological skills. Students at Brooklyn Friends don’t just learn to use AI; they learn to critically evaluate its purpose, limitations, and the economic systems driving its development.

Learning From Students in a Technological Age

Perhaps most striking in Cáceres’ philosophy is her recognition that students often possess greater technological fluency than their teachers. Rather than positioning educators as the sole authorities, she encourages a collaborative learning environment where teachers remain open to learning from their students.

“They know more than we do,” Cáceres acknowledges with refreshing humility. “So as long as our arrogance is out of the way, educators in particular have the stage on the stage, what is it called? Stereotype of wanting to be a sage on the stage. Front of the room, giving the lecture, getting the accolades, being the thing.”

This student-centered approach manifests physically in the school’s classroom design. Cáceres describes how BFS classrooms often have circular or “amoeba-like” arrangements where “you might have to look around to find the teacher.” This physical reorganization of space reflects a deeper philosophical shift away from traditional educational hierarchies toward collaborative learning communities.

“They’re not at the front of the room,” she explains. “They might be on the floor. They might be in the hallway connecting with the teacher about something while the children are collaborating on something.”

For Cáceres, this approach requires teachers to “let go of ego and arrogance.” She acknowledges a fundamental reality of modern education. “The minute that we decide that we know more at any given time about what they do,” Cáceres informs. “ We have failed them because we’re not showing our confidence that the rate of the development of the world has outpaced our skillset and our level of exposure relative to themselves.”

Reframing Technology as a Partner in Learning

Ultimately, Cáceres’ approach to technology at Brooklyn Friends School exemplifies her broader educational philosophy, embracing what exists and finding ways to transform it into a positive force. “I’m a reframer,” she explains, “so it’s like here is the thing that’s here, in what way can it help us?”

This reframing extends to her personal willingness to learn from students. With characteristic enthusiasm, she mentions wanting to create a TikTok dance video with middle schoolers. “I want no more as partners for TikTok than my middle schoolers,” she says. “I’ve been begging. It is time that I do a TikTok dance. I want to follow their lead. I want them to teach me.”

This playful example captures the essence of Brooklyn Friends School’s approach to technology under Cáceres’s leadership, remaining curious, adaptive, and fundamentally optimistic about the ability of students and teachers to navigate technological change together.

The school’s integration of artificial intelligence reflects its broader mission of preparing students not merely for academic success but for thoughtful engagement with a complex world. As Cáceres puts it, “Our job is to learn about how they’re meeting the world tomorrow, not how we met it.”

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