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DENVER, CO– The Education Committee today advanced a bipartisan bill to make media literacy resources available to students and to incorporate media literacy into curricula. The committee approved the bill on a vote of 6-3.
“In this digital age of social media and 24 hour news, our children have more access to information and misinformation than ever before,” said Rep. Lisa Cutter (D-Jefferson County). “Today we took an important step towards providing our kids with the tools they need to become responsible consumers of information. What could be more important than making sure we agree on the facts before discussing the best ways to move our communities forward. This isn’t about taking sides or choosing which opinion has more merit– it’s about teaching our kids how to tell facts from fiction.”
“It can be challenging for anyone, of any age, to tell the difference between truth, opinion, and lies online and on social media,” said Rep. Barbara McLachlan, (D-Durango). “Teaching media literacy in classrooms will empower Colorado’s young people to responsibly assess the information presented to them. Media literacy is good for our communities and our democracy. I’m proud we moved forward on this important proposal today.”
HB21-1103 directs the state board of education to ensure media literacy is incorporated into reading, writing and civics standards. It also tasks the Colorado Department of Education with creating an online resource bank of materials related to media literacy and, if resources allow, supporting school districts in implementing media literacy curriculum upon request.