Deepfakes and democracy: How educators are preparing the next generation of citizens
ith many students having a hard time distinguishing between newscasts and political ads, and too many falling prey to misinformation and propaganda, media literacy and civic readiness are more important now than ever.
NYSUT President Melinda Person talked about the essential work our members are doing to prepare the next generation of citizens at this year’s New York State Bar Association Convocation, Media Literacy Education: Safeguarding Democracy in a Digital World.
“Today, media literacy is literacy. There’s no distinction,” said Person. “And so, I think it’s really important that it is taught across all subject areas, and that it’s not an add-on; it’s a foundation.”
Educators often face an uphill battle, with many reporting that students arrive in middle school without the skills needed to separate facts from fiction, Person said.
A 2023 Pew Research Center survey found that 68 percent of high school students don’t have confidence in their ability to evaluate the credibility of online information.
“It used to be you told students ‘don’t believe it till you see it’, and now you can’t even believe what you see, right?” asked Person.
A comprehensive civics education empowers students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to contribute meaningfully to their communities and decipher reality from fiction, she said.
The NYSUT Social Studies Special Area Committee met in December to discuss issues facing today’s social studies educators. Committee members shared their perspectives on how to incorporate civic learning in early grades, how to align current events with the Science of Reading and how to position social studies instruction in the New York State Portrait of a Graduate.
To further enhance social studies instruction, NYSUT is also launching a new program, the Classroom to Community Civic Readiness Grant. The special area committee, working in concert with Second Vice President Ron Gross, is putting together the program to offer students practical experience with democratic processes and community involvement.
“The grant program will provide an opportunity to bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world participation,” Gross said. “This work is particularly important now, in today’s rapidly changing social and political climate.”
Piloted in 2021, the state’s civic seal program is now available in 500 high schools across New York.
To obtain the Seal of Civic Readiness, a student must complete all the requirements for a local or Regents diploma and earn a total of six points, including at least two points in Civic Knowledge and two points in Civic Participation. Students may also earn points by completing a Capstone project.
The NYSUT grant initiative will award locals grants up to $2,500 to support civics projects that provide students with opportunities to become more active, informed, and engaged citizens.
The program will begin in 2026.
“NYSUT is so proud to be able to provide this opportunity to our educators and to the next generation of New Yorkers,” said Gross.