Schools

Chalkbeat - Teachers in subjects ranging from language arts, math, and philosophy are taking academic questions about symbolism, sample size in polling, and discerning the truth, then applying them to the information students see every day on their phones.

There is no precise accounting of media literacy classes. But they appear to be growing more common as teachers feel compelled to help students distinguish fact from fiction. Students’ ability to do so can shape their everyday actions and relationships. But this year’s presidential election, which has generated a seemingly endless stream of doctored images and out-of-context video clips, has given these lessons more urgency: Some of these students are voting for the first time.

Supporters of every kind of political position share false information, but former President Donald Trump’s campaign has promoted a well-documented torrent of falsehoods. The act of fact-checking is often perceived as partisan. Some Republicans have objected to media literacy lessons as potentially introducing a liberal bias. Studies find that people with strong political views are more likely to believe information that aligns with their views, even when they’ve had media literacy training.

All that leaves teachers with a tough job. They don’t want to be accused of partisanship or indoctrination, especially in states that have adopted “divisive concepts” laws. They also want students to do their own thinking and come to their own conclusions. And they want students to recognize misinformation, even when it comes from a perspective the student might otherwise agree with.