Legislation Requiring Media Literacy as an Elective in Grades 6-12 Goes Before House Education Committee

Santa Fe, NM - This morning on Film and Media Day at the Roundhouse the House Education Committee will hear testimony and consider the Media Literacy Bill proposed by Representative Antonio "Moe" Maestas (D-Albuquerque). The proposed legislation, House Bill 233, would require public schools to offer media literacy as an elective for grades 6-12 in New Mexico public schools.

"New Mexico students must be offered curriculum that wholly prepares them for their future, and in today's 24-7 news and information age media literacy has become just as important as financial literacy," Representative Maestas said. "Students need to be able to digest and interpret useful information received from the various mediums of today's media and disregard potentially harmful or inaccurate information. Media literacy is one more vital tool we can arm New Mexico's children with to succeed in the job market and in life."

The first version of the Media Literacy bill was passed two years ago. The bill currently states that schools may offer media literacy as an elective for its students. However , Representative Maestas and the Media Literacy Project have proposed the language be changed to schools shall offer media literacy as an elective. This would require schools to offer media literacy along with their other elective choices for students.

“New Mexico can only benefit from providing media literacy education as an elective in its 6-12 schools,” said Andrea Quijada, executive director of the Media Literacy Project. “As media become more integrated into our social and political environment, it’s essential that we equip our future generations with the critical skills they need to analyze media messages and marketing. Schools have a responsibility in making sure that their students have every opportunity to become literate in not just reading and writing, but in the media of our everyday lives.”

The Media Literacy Project is a non-profit organization that advances education and advocacy for media justice.

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