A seventh grade media literacy class demonstrates how to handle tough conversations during holiday gatherings
In May 2024, the News Literacy Project surveyed 1,110 teens between the ages of 13 and 18 across the U.S. about their media diets and literacy skills. Eighty percent of the responding teens said they regularly see conspiracy theories online. Of that group, 80% self-reported believing at least one.
CBS News
In the wake of a divisive election cycle full of misinformation, many families will be sitting down at the Thanksgiving table with loved ones who may not see eye-to-eye. In North Salem, New York, a seventh-grade media literacy class has been preparing for that challenge by learning how to have difficult but empathetic conversations.
"One of the most important things to know about media literacy education is that it is not partisan," Cynthia Sandler, who's teaching the class, told CBS News. "It is about asking questions. It is about critical thinking. It is about teaching students and people how to think and not what to think."
There is a growing desire for media literacy classes like Sandler's around the country. In the last 15 years, 19 states have added some kind of media literacy standards to their education requirements, according to a 2023 report from Media Literacy Now. The report found at least seven more states have pending legislation on the topic, including New York, home to the largest public school district in the country.
ADDITIONAL NEWS FROM THE INTEGRITY PROJECT
