# US teachers' unions sign binding AI privacy deal with Anthropic

> Anthropic has agreed to binding limits on how it uses school data in Claude for Teachers. Microsoft signed a similar deal in September. OpenAI is still negotiating.

The Yoink Report (CodeYoink) | Worldwide | AI in learning | News of 10 November 2026 | Published 11 November 2026

Two US teachers' unions said on 10 November 2026 that Anthropic has signed a legally binding agreement on AI safety and privacy in schools.

The American Federation of Teachers and the United Federation of Teachers said in [their announcement](https://www.aft.org/press-release/aft-uft-and-anthropic-sign-binding-ai-safety-and-privacy-agreement-schools) that the standard applies at once to Anthropic's existing contracts with school districts that use Claude for Teachers. That product, launched in July, gives verified US school teachers free access to Claude. The unions said student and teacher data may be used only for authorised educational purposes. It can never be sold or used for targeted advertising.

The agreement also says teachers, not AI systems, stay responsible for decisions about students. Schools and families must get plain information about what each product collects and where it falls short.

[Education Week reported](https://www.edweek.org/technology/anthropic-agrees-to-protections-for-teachers-who-use-claude/2026/11) that the terms match a standard Microsoft signed in September, which took effect on 1 November. It said the Anthropic deal is narrower because Claude for Teachers has no tools for pupils. It also does not cover other companies' products built on Claude. [K-12 Dive reported](https://www.k12dive.com/news/anthropic-enters-student-ai-privacy-agreement-with-teachers-unions/874193/) that districts can add the Microsoft terms to their contracts without renegotiating them.

For teachers in the United States who use Claude for Teachers, the protections now apply to their district's existing contract. Education Week said districts will still need to opt in for future contracts. The agreement does not cover schools in the UK.

Elizabeth Kelly, Anthropic's head of beneficial deployments, said the company would build on the agreements "for our education approach globally". She did not say how.

Education Week said the unions are still negotiating with OpenAI. It said the AFT has no agreement with Google or Meta. The unions' announcement does not say how compliance will be checked.

> "Ideally, the federal government would step in, but since it hasn’t, teachers unions are working to hold AI companies accountable."
>
> Michael Mulgrew, president, United Federation of Teachers (https://www.aft.org/press-release/aft-uft-and-anthropic-sign-binding-ai-safety-and-privacy-agreement-schools)

## Sources

- American Federation of Teachers: [AFT, UFT and Anthropic Sign Binding AI Safety and Privacy Agreement for Schools](https://www.aft.org/press-release/aft-uft-and-anthropic-sign-binding-ai-safety-and-privacy-agreement-schools)
- Education Week: [Anthropic Agrees to Protections for Teachers Who Use Claude](https://www.edweek.org/technology/anthropic-agrees-to-protections-for-teachers-who-use-claude/2026/11)
- K-12 Dive: [Anthropic enters student AI privacy agreement with teachers unions](https://www.k12dive.com/news/anthropic-enters-student-ai-privacy-agreement-with-teachers-unions/874193/)

Picture: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:American_Federation_of_Teachers_Headquarters_in_Washington_D.C._(53816414066).jpg

Web page: https://codeyoink.com/news/aft-uft-anthropic-ai-privacy-agreement