HOUSE MEMORIAL 49

53rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2017

INTRODUCED BY

Antonio "Moe" Maestas

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE OR OTHER APPROPRIATE INTERIM COMMITTEE TO HOLD A HEARING ON MEDIA LITERACY AND BEST PRACTICES AND TO REQUEST THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO DEVELOP BEST PRACTICES AND TO OFFER MEDIA LITERACY.

     WHEREAS, media literacy is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, develop, produce and interpret media, and it encompasses the foundational skills that lead to digital citizenship; and

     WHEREAS, digital citizenship requires a diverse set of skills related to current technology and social media use and includes the norms of appropriate, responsible and healthy behavior; and

     WHEREAS, digital citizenship and media-literacy education provide digital skills essential for success in the twenty-first century; and

     WHEREAS, media and technology have become pervasive in all areas of life; and

     WHEREAS, in classrooms, young people must learn how to safely, ethically, responsibly and effectively use media and technology resources; and

     WHEREAS, young people have never had as much access to the internet, media and mobile technologies at home and in school as they do today; and

     WHEREAS, schools can play a critical role by educating, empowering and engaging children with the best practices for media and technology use; and

     WHEREAS, while media and technology have great promise for learning, young people need support and education to learn how to make sound judgments when navigating the digital world; and

     WHEREAS, school administrators and educators are now faced with new, and at times overwhelming, challenges, such as those related to privacy, digital footprints, cyberbullying and sexting; and 

     WHEREAS, best practices include instruction that provides guidance about thoughtful, safe and strategic uses of online and other media resources and how to apply critical-thinking skills when using and producing media in any form; and  

     WHEREAS, students, parents or guardians, teachers, librarians, administrators, community representatives and other interested parties could provide valuable input at the hearing; and

     WHEREAS, the public education department and local school districts are uniquely situated to identify best practices and recommendations for instruction in media literacy, digital citizenship and internet safety;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the legislative education study committee or other appropriate interim committee be requested to hold a hearing during the interim to discuss safe media and technology use, with the goal of establishing media literacy and digital citizenship as part of the state's education goals and essential academic learning requirements; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the public education department and school districts be requested to offer media literacy instruction and to develop best practices; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the chair of the legislative education study committee, the secretary of public education and the chair of the legislative finance committee.

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