The Norwood School Committee and the town of Norwood should work very hard to make certain that Norwood Public Access Television remains housed at the proposed new high school (“Local television's case for inclusion,” June 27).
The reasons go beyond protecting our investment and storing this valuable equipment. Part of the Massachusetts Education Reform Act requires media literacy as a part of its Curriculum Frameworks. Nothing serves the learning of media language better than hands- on production. Ask any student who has even a limited exposure to constructing media and his or her own comprehension of the language of TV, film, video and the Internet is advanced significantly. For every one hour of print literacy the average student in America voluntarily pursues, he or she chooses, or is subjected to, over 200 hours of still, moving, or computerized enhanced images and aural stimulation.
The need to teach children the language of media is a core need that is poorly addressed in all but the best schools. Media manipulation is the primary element in political propaganda and a principle ingredient in the erosion of civic discourse. It would be a step backwards for Norwood to abandon its public access program, especially as it has progressed so quickly and effectively under the respective leadership roles of Mr. Murphy and Mr. Tolman.
