Boerne ISD hears briefing on joining nationwide social‑media litigation over youth mental health

Krista Pomeroy, a district staff member, briefed the Boerne ISD Board of Trustees on June 9 about pending multi‑district litigation that would seek compensation from major social media companies to offset costs the district attributes to student mental‑health impacts and related operational needs.

Pomeroy said the litigation targets the “big 5” platforms — Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Snap — and is framed around allegations that platform algorithms create compulsive use that harms students’ mental health and interferes with schools’ educational work. “This discussion is not about eliminating social media, rather it’s about addressing the addictive nature of the algorithms behind the social media,” Pomeroy said.

The presentation summarized three plaintiff groups in the consolidated litigation: personal injury plaintiffs, school districts and local governments, and state attorneys general. Pomeroy told trustees the districts participating as of May 1 represent roughly 2,200,000 students nationwide and that more than 500 school districts have joined the litigation across the country. She said joining the suit would require little or no upfront cost from the district; attorneys expect fees would be contingent on recovery. Pomeroy said district staff anticipate producing roughly 30–50 hours of records if the district joins, though the law firms partnering with a vendor (identified in the presentation as Mo Casey) would handle much of the data collection.

Pomeroy listed categories of damages and costs school districts are seeking to recover, including hiring additional counseling staff; time spent confiscating student cell phones and responding to incidents; added information‑technology resources for monitoring; curriculum revisions; and additional learning supports for students with declining academic performance. She also noted federal legislative activity she called relevant: a bipartisan Senate bill often referenced as “Kids Off Social Media,” which includes proposals for a minimum age of 13 and parental controls and would create school responsibilities for monitoring and filtering that could impose additional costs on districts.

Trustees and staff discussed risks and timing. Pomeroy said attorneys expect court proceedings to begin in October and that, if the district were to join, it would not pay costs if there is no recovery. Board members asked about legal exposure, timeline and staff burden. Dr. Kristin Kraft, the district superintendent, confirmed the board wanted to gauge interest before involving outside counsel: “We wanted just to have the discussion opportunity here,” she said; staff will consult with district legal counsel as a next step.

Pomeroy also described local supports the district has already deployed — training for staff on social‑media safety, parent guidance, assemblies on digital citizenship, monitoring tools such as Lightspeed and P3, and a monthly Police and Community Together (PACT) group that includes the district, Kendall County Sheriff’s Office, Boerne Police Department and local nonprofits. Rick Goodrich was cited as one of the PACT contacts who helps coordinate community supports.

Trustees did not take action at the workshop. Several trustees said they were supportive of pursuing options that could secure funding and change platform behavior; others urged caution about litigation but acknowledged the district’s continuing commitment to student mental health. Dr. Kraft and staff said the topic will return as an agenda item at the board meeting next week after consultation with legal counsel.

Ending — The board’s next formal step will be for district staff to consult counsel and bring a recommended course of action back to the board at a future meeting; no decision to join the litigation was made on June 9.