Published 7:30 pm Wednesday, June 10, 2026
By Grace McLeod
Surrey Schools superintendent Mark Pearmain (left) and Vancouver psychiatrist Dr. Shimi Kang are set to talk to parents about healthy and non-healthy AI tools and usage on June 11. (Surrey Schools/Contributed to Peace Arch News)
Surrey Schools is inviting families to learn more about artificial intelligence – and how to use it safely.
As artificial intelligence becomes an increasingly common part of students’ lives, the school district has decided to host a free virtual event on June 11 to address some concerns and questions parents may have.
The event is titled Junk, Toxic & Healthy AI: Helping Families Understand the Difference. It will feature Surrey Schools superintendent Mark Pearmain along with Dr. Shimi Kang, a Vancouver psychiatrist, author, and clinical associate professor at UBC.
This discussion will focus on how AI is shaping youth development, student learning and mental health, while providing parents with practical tools to help guide conversations at home.
“We wanted to create an opportunity for parents to be able to learn about AI and learn how to have conversations with their kids in a safe environment,” Pearmain told Peace Arch News.
The event comes as AI tools continue to become more widely available to students both inside and outside the classroom.
“Artificial intelligence is here, and we can’t put the genie back in the bottle, even if that’s what someone wishes,” Pearmain said.
According to Pearmain, Surrey Schools recognizes that many students are already using AI and believes schools have a responsibility to help them develop the skills needed to use it responsibly.
Pearmain noted that Surrey Schools currently has six approved educational platforms that use AI. Before being used in classrooms, Pearmain said, each platform undergoes a privacy impact assessment to evaluate student safety and data protection.
“When we talk to parents, this is going to be about providing them opportunities to learn how to develop their skills, to learn about bias when it comes to AI, learn about hallucinations, to learn about what it can and can’t do in an environment that’s safe, measured and supervised,” explained Pearmain.
The district hopes families will take those lessons beyond the classroom and apply them at home as technology continues to grow and evolve.
Pearmain also explained that Surrey Schools is committed to maintain a balance between technology education and outdoor hands-on learning.
“It’s really important for our parents to understand that we’re going to teach kids their future-ready skills for AI, and we also want them to understand and enjoy being out in nature, participating in the arts, play on sports teams and be a part of drama productions,” he said.
To help frame this conversation, Surrey Schools invited Kang to speak to attendees using comparisons many families already understand: food.
“The metaphor of a diet is really designed to help all of us, myself included, deal with something that is constantly changing,” Kang shared with Peace Arch News.
In her talk she will compare healthy technology use to a balanced diet, explaining that some forms of technology can support learning, creativity and well-being, while others may offer little value or even cause harm if overused.
Kang describes “junk tech” as the digital equivalent of junk food, which is content or technology that is being consumed mindlessly and offers little benefit. Kang says that similar to junk food, small amounts may not be harmful but excessive use can have negative effects.
She also will point to “toxic tech” as the type families should avoid whenever possible.
Kang believes parents play a critical role in helping children navigate technology but says schools are equally important. “I would say schools are primary, if not the most important, for kids to learn about AI.”
Kang will also argue the point that AI should neither be featured nor celebrated.
“I believe there is no choice for schools not to teach and help guide a balanced approach to AI,” she said.
Kang shares that she feels that technology and AI is “the fire of our time,” drawing a comparison to one of humanity’s earliest innovations.
“There was a moment in human history when our ancestors harnessed the power of fire,” she said. “Those that did it well went further and farther than ever before, and those that didn’t got it burnt down the village.”
She notes that technology and AI are the most powerful and important tools people have in their hands.
For both Pearmain and Kang, the goal of the June 11 event is not to provide all the answers, but to help families better understand a rapidly changing technology and feel more confident discussing it with their children.
The free virtual event runs from 6:30 p.m to 8 p.m. and is open to families, students, educators and community members across B.C. Participants will also have the opportunity to submit questions during the discussion.
Sign-up for this event is required; registration can be found on the Surrey Schools website here.
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