Letter to the editor: Teaching kids how to consume news

I agree with Lori Falce’s column, in which she noted that it’s important for schools to expose students to the news (“Yes, your kid should watch the news at school,” Jan. 14, TribLIVE.

I believe the news should be presented with proper context. How to consume media to make informed decisions in a free society should be part of the curriculum.

As with social media, students should be taught how to weigh what mainstream media presents. Even when the news media strives for objectivity, its language often reflects bias.

For example, those who violently protested the inauguration of the previous president are hailed as civil rights advocates. Conversely, conservatives are routinely vilified as radical right-wing extremists.

Schools also should teach that the facts as presented may not reflect the whole truth. It’s a fact that there currently is no critical race theory curriculum. This doesn’t mean its underpinnings aren’t being taught. It’s a fact that some Republican-led states tightened voting rules. But some Democrat-run states already restrict voting rights even further. And while electioneers cannot give Georgia voters water, just about anyone else may.

Our schools’ job is to graduate informed, self-sufficient citizens. Teaching students how to scrutinize the information they consume is one step toward this goal.

Peter Busowski

Jeannette