The Massachusetts Media Literacy Consortium was formed to advocate for passage of Senate Bill 1956, a bill requiring that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education implement Media Literacy curricula in the schools from kindergarten through 12th grade.

Students today are subject to a massive number of media messages. Used well, the media can entertain and inform our children in positive ways, but the evidence is overwhelming that many of those messages contribute to crises of obesity, bullying and aggression, low self-esteem, depression, negative body image, and many other concerns.

“Well-financed marketers prey on children’s vulnerabilities in the drive for profit,” said Erin McNeill, a founder of the MMLC. “It is wrong to leave them unprotected to fend for themselves in this environment of wall-to-wall media.”

Children need to learn how to interpret media messages. We, the Massachusetts Media Literacy Consortium, believe that Media Literacy education for all Massachusetts students is urgently needed. The bill, S1956 is currently under consideration by the Education Committee. We urge the committee to act quickly to send S1956 to the full legislature.

Steering Committee of the Massachusetts Media Literacy Consortium:
Please contact us anytime with questions or to volunteer to help.
Office: (617) 395-4222

Wheelock College Instructor, Media Literacy educator at MediaLit4U
lexi@ladd-luth.com

Media Literacy teacher, Swampscott High School                 
tom.reid@comcast.net

Journalist and media consultant
emcn17@gmail.com

Fiscal advisor, volunteer parenting educator
jdhoch@comcast.net

Media Literacy teacher, Cape Cod Regional Technical High School         
dianna487@comcast.net