Earlier this month, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed a law, passed with bipartisan support, making New Jersey the first state to require media literacy for K-12. Illinois, to its credit, passed a law in 2022 requiring media instruction in high school. That law should be expanded to include younger students.
The most important task in the digital age is to quiet the static and noise from the torrent of information now available, to identify useful information, make rational connections, seek additional pertinent information and draw reasonable tentative conclusions. None of this is easy. It requires a habit of mind that should be cultivated early — no later than kindergarten—and continue throughout life.
