Author hits back at Alpha School supporters after AI boot camp exposé
benjaminjriley · x · 2026-09-16
Education researcher Benjamin Riley publishes a follow-up responding to the coordinated backlash against his investigation of Alpha School's AI-driven boot camp. He labels the attackers 'Alpha-Betas' — mostly unaffiliated supporters drawn to the school's 'future of AI education' branding — who have resorted to ad hominem smears implying he wants to DM teens. Riley argues Alpha School's image rests on denigrating normal schools, cites Democracy's Schools to tie public education to democratic health, and references Carl Hendrick's first reaction to the boot camp. A snapshot of the intensifying culture war over AI in K-12 education.
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