In the midst of the 2024 presidential election, a high school social studies class in Long Island, New York, was engaged in a critical discussion. Jayla Rennocks and her classmates were debating whether a social media post featuring Donald Trump and the words  "I'm voting Aderholt for Congress" was propaganda, publicity, or news. This task was designed to help students recognize whether the information they consume online is intended to persuade them to vote for a candidate, buy a product, or inform them about a news event. Their teacher, Tayla Plotke, emphasized that this campaign ad was "trying to get you guys to do something," highlighting the importance of discerning the purpose behind online content.

 

The Need for Systemic Change in Education

Plotke, a seven-year veteran of the district and a history and technology enthusiast, is part of a generation of educators dedicated to teaching kids to examine the news sources they rely on and to determine which information to trust. This focus on news literacy is not unique to her school; more K-12 schools nationwide are incorporating this essential skill into their curricula. This year, they may address the exponential rise in disinformation online related to the 2024 presidential election, the Israel-Hamas war, or other critical topics.

 

The Baldwin School District's Commitment to News Literacy

The Baldwin School District is among hundreds nationwide that require young people to learn news literacy skills before they graduate from high school. These skills include recognizing biases in news reports, spotting differences between news articles and advertisements, and identifying disinformation created by artificial intelligence. District leaders, educators, and students all agree that the ability to discern between factual news and disinformation is crucial for youth,

 

The Role of Educators in Teaching News Literacy

Educators like Plotke are at the forefront of this movement. They use various methods to teach students how to critically evaluate information. For instance, Howard Schneider from Stony Brook University teaches a lesson called lateral reading, which involves leaving the text and looking for another source to verify whether what they're consuming is fact or fiction.

This approach has been shown to be effective; a 2022 study from Stanford University's Graduate School of Education found that students who received six 50-minute lessons on lateral reading skills were more likely to judge the credibility of digital content than those who hadn't been taught these skills.

 

State Initiatives and Challenges

Three states—Connecticut, Illinois, and New Jersey—require schools to teach kids news literacy. California, Colorado, Delaware, Ohio, Texas, and Delaware have passed bills requiring states to adopt news literacy standards, although these laws do not explicitly require teaching the skills. The availability of news literacy classes varies district-to-district and school-to-school, with some places not teaching it at all.

Despite these challenges, educators are committed to integrating media literacy into their curricula. For example, Erik Van Houten, an assistant principal and high school history teacher in Las Vegas, applied for a grant after noticing students sharing false information about the Israel-Hamas war online. His school was chosen to receive resources, and he developed a plan to teach students about the larger Israel-Palestine conflict and help them decipher inaccurate news.

 

The Impact of News Literacy on Students

Students like Jayla Rennocks are already benefiting from these lessons. She and her classmates have learned to question whether the information they consume online comes from credible sources. Rennocks recently saw a post on X from Cardi B criticizing something Donald Trump said and immediately went to Google to check other sources to verify it. The skills she learned in class led her to trust her skepticism, and after checking with other sources, she was shocked to learn that what Cardi B stated was accurate.

 

The Future of News Literacy Education

The News Literacy Project, a nonpartisan nonprofit, is working to make news literacy a graduation requirement nationwide. Their next partner is the Los Angeles Unified School District, which plans to integrate media literacy into elementary and secondary schools. This resource supports the development of critical thinking skills and provides students with the knowledge and tools to help determine the credibility of a source and separate fact from fiction.

In conclusion, the integration of news literacy into K-12 education is a critical step in equipping students to navigate the complex digital landscape. By teaching students to critically evaluate information, educators are preparing them to make informed decisions and participate responsibly in civic life. As the digital age continues to evolve, the need for systemic change in education to ensure all students are skilled in news literacy before they graduate high school becomes increasingly urgent.