California now has a law to bolster media literacy in schools

State educational officials will be required to provide instructional materials and resources on analyzing and evaluating media, including professional development programs for teachers.|
SUSAN MINICHIELLO
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

California educators will have more resources for their students to bolster media literacy after Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill yesterday that encourages media literacy in schools.

Introduced by state Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, SB 830 requires the state Department of Education website to list instructional materials and resources on analyzing and evaluating media, including professional development programs for teachers, by July 2019.

“This bill is about empowering students to make informed decisions,” Dodd said in a release. “And frankly, it's about safeguarding the future of our democracy.”

The bill was inspired by a Stanford University study that found 82 percent of middle school students struggled to distinguish between advertisements and news stories.

Additionally, the bill states that two of three adults say fake news stories cause confusion in understanding current events.

You can reach Staff Writer Susan Minichiello at 707-521-5216 or susan.minichiello@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @susanmini.

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