Center Grove board votes to join class action against social‑media companies, administration says participation costs district nothing
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Summary
The board approved a resolution to join a nationwide class action alleging social‑media platforms harm student mental health; the superintendent said participation is contingency‑fee based and would not cost the corporation unless there is recovery; the board approved the resolution by voice vote.
The Center Grove Community School Corporation board voted to join a class action lawsuit against social‑media companies, a measure district leaders said could help recover expenses related to student mental‑health and disciplinary impacts.
Dr. Long presented a resolution asking the district to join legal action against social platforms whose design the administration says contributes to elevated anxiety, depression, bullying and disruptive behaviors among students. “If social media has contributed to widespread harm, then pursuing legal action aligns with our mission to advocate for students,” Dr. Long said.
Board members asked what information the litigation team would request; Dr. Long said the resolution would allow counsel to request high‑level, de‑identified data such as counseling and discipline statistics and that the engagement is contingency‑fee based so the district would pay only if there were recovery. “There is no cost to the corporation,” Dr. Long said; trustees compared it to prior class actions brought by schools and communities against companies in other cases.
After brief questions about data needs and fees, Mister Alexander moved to approve the resolution and the board approved it by voice vote.
What happens next: if the district participates, legal counsel will request high‑level, non‑identifying data from the district as part of the litigation process; the board did not authorize payment of hourly counsel fees and reiterated the contingency fee arrangement described at the meeting.