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Pennsauken board authorizes lawsuit against major social media companies
Summary
The Pennsauken Township Board of Education on June 10 approved a resolution to join litigation against Meta, Snap, TikTok, Alphabet and other parties and authorized a contract with Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer to represent the district, citing student mental‑health impacts and district costs.
The Pennsauken Township Board of Education voted June 10 to authorize the district to participate in litigation against major social media companies, approving a Letter of Engagement with Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, P.A., to pursue monetary and non‑monetary relief.
The resolution, listed as agenda item 29, says the district has seen “significant risks of anxiety, depression, thoughts of self‑harm, and suicidal ideation” among students tied to social media use and that those harms have produced district costs in staff time, disciplinary proceedings and counseling. The resolution directs the Board President and the Business Administrator/Board Secretary to sign the contract and authorizes the district to file suit against Meta Platforms (Facebook/Instagram), Snap Inc., TikTok Inc., Alphabet Inc. and other responsible parties.
Board Member McDevitt moved the agenda; Board Member Alves seconded. The full slate of agenda items (2–61), which included this resolution, was approved by motion at the meeting.
The resolution states the contract with Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer was awarded without competitive bidding as a professional service under the Public School Contracts Law, N.J.S.A. 18A:18A‑5(a)(1). It also directs that a copy of the contract be placed on file with the Board Secretary and that required publication occur. The resolution becomes effective upon its adoption.
The Board record in the meeting packet and motion text does not include the full text of any complaint to be filed, nor does it list specific damage claims or the litigation strategy; it does specify that the agreement is to be executed in substantially the form reviewed by the Board with minor modifications permitted by legal counsel and administrators.
Procedurally, the motion to approve the agenda items (including the litigation resolution) was carried during the June 10 business meeting; no public speakers addressed this item during the public comment periods recorded in the meeting minutes.
Next steps recorded in the meeting materials: execution of the Letter of Engagement by the Board President and Business Administrator/Board Secretary and placement of the contract on file with the Board.
