‘The system is broken’: Florida teacher says students are failing classes, using AI to breeze through makeup courses — and graduating without skills

However, she pointed to one senior student in her English class who went from 18 to 75 percent after completing a recovery program. Fowler says what stood out wasn't just the drastic grade change, but the speed of achieving it. That student finished the equivalent of nine weeks of work in a single day.

"What are we doing?" she asks in the video.

Educators warn of a broken system

Course recovery programs were structured to help students who fall behind still graduate on time. Instead of repeating a full class, for example, students can complete condensed online coursework to earn back credits. (2)

For some students, it's a lifeline — especially those dealing with health issues, family pressure, or other disruptions that make it hard to keep up in school.

But Fowler says it's also being used in ways that raise concerns.

"There are students who just know the system and know how to play the system," she said in an interview with TODAY.com. (3)

The comments on her TikTok video quickly filled up with reactions from teachers, parents, and former students — and some weren't holding back.

"I will fully admit I cheated on my online recovery class for chemistry my sophomore year of high school," one user wrote.

Fowler's not against second chances. But she worries about what it signals when passing becomes more about completion than actual learning.

Fowler, who also teaches college students, says she sees the effects later down the line — when students show up without basic skills they were supposed to already have.

"We are teaching them that there are no consequences for their actions," she said. "It's becoming more about getting them through and walking across the stage than actual learning."

Some educators say the pressure on schools to keep graduation rates high only adds to the problem, pushing systems that prioritize credit completion over mastery of material. (4) In that environment, critics argue, students can learn how to "work the system" rather than fully engage with it.

AI could widen future skills and income gaps

Fowler and other educators say tools like ChatGPT are now common in classrooms, and not just for studying. Many students are using them to help complete assignments, write entire essays, and finish coursework faster than before.

The numbers are backing up how quickly it's spreading. A 2025 survey from the Higher Education Policy Institute found that 92% of students use AI tools, with most saying they've used them for graded work. (5)

Research from the College Board found similar momentum among high school students, with usage rising from 79 to 84 percent in just a few months. (6)

The concern from educators isn't just that students are using these tools; it's what they're actually learning in the process.

A study involving researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Carnegie Mellon University found that heavy reliance on AI tools can reduce problem-solving skills and independent thinking, especially when students lean on them instead of working through challenges. (7)