Salamanca High School in New York is getting a new teaching assistant, and it’s not a fresh-faced grad student - it’s a humanoid robot named Sally, purchased for $57,590 by the Cattaraugus County school district. The pilot program, which also includes an AI teaching assistant called Optio, is set to roll out in fall 2026, making the district the first in the U.S. to deploy such tech, according to Realbotix, the Toronto-based company behind Sally.

Teachers are not thrilled. Lacey Pihlblad, president of the Salamanca Teachers’ Association, called for a pause, citing concerns about software security, data storage, and recording capabilities. “I believe placing a humanoid robot into the classroom is a massive step in the wrong direction,” she said. Melinda Pearson, president of New York State United Teachers, was blunter: “This is kind of creepy.”

The robot’s manufacturer has a colorful backstory. Realbotix, formerly Tokens.com, pivoted from crypto to humanoid robots after buying Simulacra, a Las Vegas company known for realistic sex dolls, for $16.7 million in April 2024. Realbotix denies any ties between those dolls and the pilot program, but teachers are skeptical. The union plans to include AI protections in its upcoming contract negotiations.

Local Native American residents are also upset. Nearly 40% of the high school’s students are Native American, and some see the pilot as yet another experiment on Indigenous children. “Out of all the schools in New York state, let alone in the U.S., they chose to experiment on Native American children yet again,” said substitute teacher Sierra May Abrams. Alyson Brown, a Seneca Nation member, noted the trauma of Native American boarding schools and worried about cognitive development.

The New York State Department of Education raised concerns about student privacy and the risk of replacing qualified professionals. Realbotix insists the robot is meant to complement, not replace, teachers, offering 24/7 virtual access and personalized learning. The district and superintendent Mark Beehler did not respond to requests for comment.

Sally, meanwhile, will reportedly use natural conversation, facial expressions, and real-time interaction - skills that might be better suited to a customer service desk than a classroom full of teenagers.