Governor Shapiro promotes media literacy toolkit at Middletown Area High School

Governor Josh Shapiro visited Middletown Area High School in Dauphin County to highlight the Pennsylvania Department of Education's (PDE) Information and Media Literacy Toolkit. The toolkit is designed to help students, teachers, and parents identify biases, separate credible information from misinformation, and use digital platforms responsibly.

The event comes amid concerns about rising misinformation and violent rhetoric online. Governor Shapiro emphasized the importance of these resources for young people: "In today's digital age, our kids are constantly exposed to a flood of information online - some of it false or misleading," said Governor Shapiro. "Our goal is not to teach students what to think, but to give them the tools to discern fact from fiction, engage in thoughtful debate, and become informed citizens. The Information and Media Literacy Toolkit provides parents, teachers, and students with the resources they need to safely navigate online spaces and critically evaluate the information they encounter."

The initiative was inspired by First Lady Lori Shapiro. During his budget address in February 2024, Governor Shapiro instructed PDE and the Office of Commonwealth Libraries to create materials that would help schools incorporate information literacy throughout their curriculum. After surveying schools across Pennsylvania, PDE found that 90 percent of respondents believed a comprehensive toolkit with more media and information literacy resources would be beneficial.

Acting Secretary Dr. Carrie Rowe joined Governor Shapiro at the event along with local lawmakers, educators such as Joshua Rytel, Superintendent Dr. Chelton Hunter, student Sana Vereen, and Senator Patty Kim.