Baldwin UFSD Highlighted in NYSSBA's OnBoard Publication

Excerpt from story:

Asked what he has learned from high school classes on media literacy, Michael Alfaro recites a Spanish expression that he translates as: When the river cries, it brings rocks. In other words: In a deluge of information, there are bound to be some falsehoods.

His classmate Semyrahh Mays said she has grown concerned about where her friends get news about events in Gaza. “There were times [their] information wasn’t as accurate as what I’ve read.”

“I stay up to date more with news because of this class,” said another student, Brook Boodram. She said she is more comfortable talking about controversial topics with people who might have contrary views: “It’s important to not only share opinions but do it a respectful way.”

All three students have completed a year-long elective in media literacy in the Baldwin Union Free School District in Nassau County. It’s part of a district curriculum, mostly required, that emphasizes media literacy in grades 6-12.

“It is clear to me that this is the single-most important skill all our kids need to have before graduating high school,” said Baldwin Superintendent Shari Camhi, who will retire in August. “We recognize the need to make sure that all of our students are news and media literate,” said Camhi, who servied as as president of AASA (the national school superintendents association) from 2022 to 2023.

More than 80% of middle school students cannot differentiate between a news story and an advertisement, according to a toolkit for educators produced by the state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, which sees a need for developing “discerning members of civic society.” (See “Resources,” page 4.)

In recent years, professors at Stony Brook University’s Center for News Literacy have focused on helping primary and secondary schools improve students’ media literacy.

“It became clear to us that it was way, way, way too late to start that kind of instruction when students are 18 years old,” said Howard Schneider, who runs the center.“Not when more than 90 percent have smart phones when they’re 12,” said Schneider, a former Newsday managing editor who was founding dean of Stony Brook’s School of Communication and Journalism.

Read the full article in OnBoard>>