Parents are the Needed Primary Cultivators of Catholic Media Literacy

A recent Catholic Vote (The Loop) article “Pennsylvania schools push ‘media literacy’ toolkit” promoting left-leaning outlets, parents’ group says”—November 11, 2025) revealed Pennsylvania schools’ claim to have a ‘media literacy’ toolkit for students.  The major caveat is that the sources provided are “liar leaning.”  If that sounds judgmentally harsh, I can only say that “it is what it is.”  Outlets to which the students are being exposed include the NPR, BBC (lately under a barrage of criticism distorting Trump’s January 6th speech and election interference); The Guardian, Al-Jazeera, The Hill, Vox, and Associated Press.)

  
The Federalist found that of the student news supplements, six were “left” or leaned “left”, three were center, and only one was “lean right.”

 
Unveiled in September 2024, the toolkit was championed by Gov. Josh Shapiro and then acting Secretary of Education Carrie Rowe.  Similar to another enterprise I recently criticized, insult is added to injury, as the program also claimed to provide links to “fact checking” and media evaluation resources, purportedly to “teach” students how to spot misinformation and disinformation.  Suffice to say that these vetting sites are as leftist leaning as the actual news sources.

 
Again, it must be emphasized that much of government run schools especially in Democrat and National Education Association (NEA) controlled areas cannot be trusted to provide objective instruction on the news of the day.  I am mindful of a commercial featuring a wolf in lambskin spreading the flu in various public locations, including hospital hallways.   We need to exposes the predators in our school hallways that spread the germs of lethal propaganda.

 
Moreover, it is the duty of every family—which can include extended family and faithful communities— to provide truth.  The latter can include Church organizations for youth but also various neighborhood social groups of persons seeking a look beyond secular headlines.  That all begins with acknowledging the danger.

 
I also elaborated on this very challenge in Teaching the City of God in the City of Man:  Pursuing Salvation Education (Enroute Books and Media).     Nothing substitutes for astute, knowledgeable and informed parents, particularly those who cannot homeschool..  This entails knowing the textbooks and supplements children are using though these may not be specified or complete by posted state curriculum guidelines or in teacher syllabuses.  Still, parents can oversee what is being taught in various other ways, including visiting the classroom.  (Never ignore a Parents’ Night).  Bulletin boards and school news provide insights as to the administration and teachers’ emphasis.  Homework assignments or group projects are another way to peek at substance.  

 
Also, keep up the dialogue with children of all ages though developmentally approached.  Numerous safeguards against indoctrination should be in place and employed at various family meetings or around the meal table.  Always precede such conversations by prayer, especially parents, and most ideally, after a Rosary.   

 
Be informed yourself.  Know the news and analyze the content.  Many times the headlines and lead paragraphs hold the the “bent” of the content.  Even if your children do not cover current events throughly, initiate talks abut various conflicts or events in the world.  Much can be gleaned by how a child responds, often echoing teacher or peer opinions.

 
Go beyond the classroom and in-depth about a certain region and its history, either in the United States or elsewhere.  What is the backdrop to the “news of the day”?

 
Understand government, and if rusty, brush up.  Be prepared to explain how a Republic should operate; the duties and limits of government, and subjects like Catholic justice for the poor. Here, the Catechism of the Catholic Church is an essential scaffolding structure.  You need not be a homeschool parent to access the plethora of resources that focus on thorough but objective history and classic literature.  Hillsdale College offers free courses—though donations graciously welcomed.  

 
All of this is not to say that parents can eliminate all challenges or pushback.  Eight or more hours daily in an essentially secular, if not pagan-progressive environment will influence children.  Peers, whose parents may embrace this ideology, powerfully impress their slant, too. 

 
When faced with strong “headwinds” like a child who is convinced the world will end due to climate change, remain calm and ask for sources of information.  Then assemble your own, though not as a “dump,” but for further talking points.  Encourage your children to prove you wrong, too.  That will give you a heads up on the resources they are being given and open a way for counter points, documented of course.

 
Admit when you are not aware of a circumstance or event but will research the matter.  This lets children know you are willing to be taught, and that all persons are learning throughout their lives, not just in a classroom or by a certain age. 

 
Maintaining a library, digital or otherwise—adding primary sources, arranged by subject, trusted author or publishers,  and publication date, on shelves—provides “hands-on”  exploration.  Incidentally, many of these may be found on line.  Internet Archive (internetarchive.org) houses thousands of resources.  My personal library includes Reader’s Digest dating back to the early 20th century and encompassing such issues as euthanasia.  The right to arrange one’s own end of life did not emerge in our lifetime, despite a quick look on the Internet that indicates that the “right to die” movement had its beginnings in 1976,  (dash.harvard.edu).   

 
Moreover, one might think—our youth included—that every enticing, novel idea sprang up relatively recently, but a thorough understanding of history discloses that all evil inspiration began in the Garden of Eden and has reared its ugly head since.  

 
Speaking of…the “Horrors of Socialism” resolution recently passed in the House, presents a concise and comprehensive capsulation of contemporary failed utopian plots.   Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar gifts parents, primary educators, with a springboard for exploring an aspect of legislative function while informing a nation on the incompatibility of communism with authentic freedom.  

 
Finally, repeating the caution to be developmentally sensitive, still know that youth are quite astute and capable of discerning truth given the proper tools and knowledge.  The challenge is to be that astute provider and tutor for vulnerable children, family, and church community, to expose and expel the wolves disguised in lambskin.