Tenafly board votes to join class‑action social media lawsuit; appoints special counsel where conflict exists
Summary
The Tenafly Board of Education voted to join a class‑action lawsuit against social media companies and approved a special‑counsel appointment where the regular board attorney was conflicted.
The Tenafly Board of Education voted to join a class‑action lawsuit against social media companies and approved a special‑counsel appointment to represent the district in a matter where the regular board attorney is ethically conflicted.
A public commenter asked about agenda items 14.6 and 14.8, specifically the role of the firms being hired, selection process and whether fee caps would be imposed. The board president Stacco answered that agenda item 14.6 is to join a class‑action social media lawsuit and that joining “is costing the district nothing. This is really just sort of taking a stand, understanding the impact that social media has on our students and joining the movement to, sort of fight back to the social media companies.” He said that if a settlement arises the district would share in any recovery and that attorneys would take a percentage of any settlement.
Steven explained item 14.8 is an appointment of special counsel in a case where the regular board attorney is conflicted and that the special counsel is being appointed only because of that conflict. The transcript does not record the names of the special counsel firm in the excerpted remarks or any explicit cap on legal fees for either matter in the public discussion.
During the consent‑agenda roll call recorded in the transcript, several board members were recorded voting yes after one trustee voiced a verbal objection to item 14.6 but then voted on the consent agenda. The transcript records affirmative votes from Mister Slosky, Mister Shin, Miss Leoni, Miss Schwartz and Missus Railey Miller during the consent agenda roll call. The board president also indicated that joining the class action carries no immediate cost to the district.
The public record in the transcript includes an explanation that joining the class action would carry no direct upfront cost, that potential benefits would depend on future settlement, and that special counsel is being appointed due to a conflict of interest with the regular board attorney. The transcript does not provide procurement details, the identity of outside counsel for the class action, any fee caps, or an exact anticipated timeline for litigation activity. Those items were not specified and should be verified in the board’s formal minutes, procurement records, or contract attachments.
