Illinois becomes first state to require media literacy for high schoolers
Amidst a new era of widespread misinformation on elections, the COVID-19 pandemic, and vaccines, some states are pushing back: Illinois recently enacted a law requiring high schools to teach media literacy.
While many schools in the state and throughout the country teach media literacy in some way or another, Illinois is the first state in the nation to make it compulsory.
Starting in the 2022–2023 school year, high schools in Illinois will provide instruction for students to learn how to analyze and communicate information from a variety of mediums, including digital, interactive, audio, visual, and print.
“Ever since Donald Trump and ‘fake news,’ people I know believe lots of stuff that isn’t true. There’s so much motivation to spread propaganda because of the political situation.”
The law also asks students to consider how media affects information consumption as well as its impact on human emotions and behaviors. A civics and social responsibility section allows students to engage with each other in thoughtful, respectful, and inclusive dialogue.
