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U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) recently released a video emphasizing the need for “media literacy” and the importance of “reining in the media environment.” What she is actually pushing for is legislation that could suppress truthful information contradicting the narrative promoted by anti-American mainstream media outlets.
The concept of “media literacy” is often portrayed as a tool of enlightenment for our youth. However, what’s marketed as media literacy in K-12 education may be one of the most insidious forms of indoctrination in recent times, especially when driven by organizations like the News Literacy Project. This development should concern every parent, educator, and citizen who values the future of free thought.
NLP claims to be a nonpartisan initiative aimed at equipping students with the tools to navigate today’s media landscape. However, a closer examination tells a different story. The organization’s leadership, ambassadors, and affiliated reporters overwhelmingly support the radical left, creating a clearly biased environment (refer to pages 8 and 9 in our NLP exposure tool). All the media partners it considers “credible sources” come from left-wing legacy media companies.
Students are being taught to trust only legacy media outlets — those that often follow government narratives — while independent journalists and alternative media sources, particularly on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), are dismissed as “media illiterate” and labeled as dangerous misinformation.
When educators teach children to rely only on mainstream media and government agencies for information, they condition them to accept a narrow narrative. The implicit message becomes clear: If your sources don’t align with government-approved narratives, your inquiry is invalid.
This isn’t media literacy. It’s media manipulation.
The real power behind the “media literacy” scam lies in how it distorts language. When bad actors like AOC talk about “misinformation” or “disinformation,” they aren’t referring to factual inaccuracies. These terms are weaponized to silence dissenting opinions.
Anything that challenges the prevailing narratives of government agencies or progressive organizations gets tagged as dangerous misinformation. This stifles open discussion and marginalizes opposing viewpoints. Instead of teaching students to engage critically with ideas, they are trained to accept a prescribed viewpoint without question.
NLP’s initiatives go beyond curating information. The organization is essentially teaching children to weaponize the concept of “hate speech.” Its version of media literacy frames questioning certain societal shifts or expressing traditional values as potential hate speech.
For example, arguing that biological sex is immutable or advocating for secure borders isn’t just considered a difference of opinion — it’s branded as dangerous speech. This approach not only suppresses free speech but also conditions children to fear expressing thoughts that don’t align with progressive ideology, narrowing the marketplace of ideas to a rigid, ideologically driven path.
This approach to media literacy does more than inform — it reforms. It reshapes how children perceive reality, not through critical analysis but through the lens of radical social justice. This creates a subtle, yet pervasive form of censorship where questioning becomes synonymous with spreading misinformation or hate.
The impact of these programs is not theoretical; it’s already being felt in classrooms across the country. With the NLP active in all 50 states and several schools requiring its media literacy curriculum for graduation, we now face a situation where K-12 educational institutions are not just failing to promote critical thinking but actively dismantling it.
How can we expect future generations to think independently if they spend their formative years parroting the narratives of a select few?
Government-run K-12 education actively conditions children to live within controlled narratives. This goes beyond shaping how they consume media — it’s about molding future voters, thinkers, and leaders to fit a specific political agenda, ultimately undermining the democratic process, which thrives on diverse and informed opinions.
Parents, educators, and policymakers need to recognize this for what it is: a scam cloaked in the noble guise of media literacy. True media literacy should empower students to question, analyze, and form their own opinions based on a broad spectrum of sources, not confine them to a curated selection that fits one political ideology. Education should encourage critical thinking, challenge assumptions, and engage with a variety of perspectives.
The fight for genuine media literacy — where students learn to navigate the information landscape with skepticism and critical thought — isn’t just about education; it’s about preserving the essence of our Constitution and the nation itself.
We must reject any program that limits discourse or demonizes dissenting views in favor of a singular narrative. Our schools must not become factories of conformity under the guise of media literacy. America’s future depends on free minds, informed not by coercion but by choice.