NJ Law Will Teach Students How To Be Responsible News Consumers

NEW JERSEY — What is “information literacy” and how will New Jersey’s public schools make sure that students are learning this essential skill? That’s what a newly signed state law will tackle in an attempt to teach young people what news they can trust – and what news they can’t.

Last week, Gov. Phil Murphy signed S-588/A-4169. Read the full text of the bill here.

According to a statement from the governor’s office, the bill requires the New Jersey Department of Education to develop New Jersey Student Learning Standards in information literacy, which is defined as a “set of skills that enables an individual to recognize when information is needed and to locate, evaluate and effectively use the needed information.” That includes social media, websites, texts and other potential sources of news.

The bill also requires the commissioner of the Department of Education to put together a committee to help roll out the new law, including certified school library media specialists and teaching staff members.

The public will be given a chance to give feedback about the proposed standards prior to their adoption by the state Board of Education, Murphy’s office said.

Each school district in New Jersey will have to incorporate instruction on information literacy in an “appropriate place” in the curriculum of students in grades K-12. Here are some of the things that students will have to learn about under the new law:

• The research process and how information is created and produced
• Critical thinking and using information resources
• Research methods, including the difference between primary and secondary sources
• The difference between facts, points of view, and opinions
• Accessing peer-reviewed print and digital library resources
• The economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information
• The ethical production of information

“Our democracy remains under sustained attack through the proliferation of disinformation that is eroding the role of truth in our political and civic discourse,” Murphy said. “It is our responsibility to ensure our nation’s future leaders are equipped with the tools necessary to identify fact from fiction.”

The law’s primary sponsors in the state Assembly – Pamela Lampitt (District 6), Dan Benson (District 14), and Mila Jasey (District 27) – praised its signing in a joint statement. The legislators wrote:

“Living in the digital era gives us access to endless information, but not all is equal. That is why it’s so important to prepare students in New Jersey with a robust information literacy education. The Learning Standards will provide New Jersey students with the foundational skills necessary to effectively engage with and evaluate information found online. Having the ability to look at a piece of information and assess its validity is important for everyone. Whether you are writing a research paper or learning about current events, being able to use critical thinking skills to determine the credibility of information is crucial.”

GOP SENATOR: ‘FALSE CLAIMS’ ABOUT THE LAW

Murphy, a Democratic Party member, mentioned the new law in a statement he issued on the anniversary of the Jan. 6 rioting that took place at the Capitol Building last year, which drew a sharp rebuke from Republican state Sen. Michael Testa (District 1).

“In New Jersey, we are the first state to ensure that our kids, and the generations to come, possess the skills needed to discern fact from fiction and reject disinformation,” Murphy wrote, adding that “the images of the January 6th insurrection are seared into our minds.”

Testa – a primary sponsor of S-588 – suggested that the comment may have ignited a wave of false claims about the new, bipartisan law, which he said is an overall win for New Jersey residents.

“Sadly, some people are suggesting that our new information literacy law is somehow an attempt to control what our kids think,” Testa said. “That’s the exact opposite of what this law will do.”

“I am disappointed that Gov. Murphy has chosen to frame the value of teaching kids about information literacy in terms of January 6, which could give the impression there is some ideological slant to the law, which there is not,” Testa said.

Murphy wasn’t the only New Jersey Democrat to mention the new law in connection with the Jan. 6 riot. Sen. Shirley Turner (District 15) – another primary sponsor – said the bill’s signing “feels especially timely as we approach the two-year anniversary of the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol.”

“It is incredibly important that our children are taught how to discern reliable sources and recognize false information,” Turner added.

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