Florida lawmakers suggest adding social media literacy to classroom education
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A smartphone with the icons for the Google, Facebook and Twitter applications
TAMPA, Florida. – Florida State Senator Danny Burgess (R District 20) wants to provide information to students and propose a new bill that would require schools to teach social media skills in classrooms.
“The classroom is vital, especially in the world of social media where parents may not have been involved with social media and may not know much about social media,” Burgess said.
The father of three says that while apps like Twitter, Instagram and TikTok are associated with a lot of good things, there are also pitfalls.
Burgess wants the Florida classrooms to be a place where young people learn that life is more than you like.
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“Things as simple as posting a photo that will live on forever and what those implications can mean,” he said. “That’s something this law can do to teach children about the dangers that are out there online.”
The bill requires the Florida Department of Education to work with local school authorities to develop a social media curriculum.
The materials would also be posted online for parents to discuss with their children.
“Ultimately, we say that knowledge is power, for both parents and students in this scenario,” he said.
The bill will be debated in the next parliamentary term, which starts in January.
