New Jersey may require instruction on social media for middle-school kids

Instruction on the responsible use of social media could be required for middle-school students in New Jersey.

 

The Assembly Education committee voted unanimously to advance a measure requiring school districts to address the benefits and dangers of social media as part of the core curriculum for students in grades six though eight.

Acting inappropriately on social media sites can have long-term negative consequences, said Assemblyman Angel Fuentes, D-Camden.

“Careers can be ruined, opportunities can be lost, and relationships can be destroyed with the click of a ‘post’ button and perhaps because of peer pressure,” he said Monday.

Some schools already teach students about safe social media practices, but Fuentes says the instruction should be offered in all middle schools because kids are becoming addicted to technology at an early age.

“While we can not pretend that our young people are always going to behave, we can prepare them for an increasingly digital society,” he said. “Let’s help them learn how to unlock its potential instead of being held back by an early mistake.”

The New Jersey Education Association and the School Boards Association support the legislation. It has not yet been introduced in the state Senate.