Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Litigation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Brunswick County board authorizes counsel to join multi-district lawsuit against social media companies
Summary
The board voted to let its counsel join a multi-district litigation alleging social-media platforms’ product designs have harmed students’ mental health and increased district costs. The action followed a presentation by board counsel and discussion of district prevention programs.
The Brunswick County Board of Education voted Aug. 6 to authorize board counsel to join a multi-district litigation (MDL) against major social-media companies, including Meta, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube.
Board counsel Tory Kronk presented a memorandum and PowerPoint from the Raleigh firm Farrington Smith outlining the litigation, which the memorandum said has been joined by about 2,000 school boards nationwide and roughly 50 in North Carolina. Kronk said the suits allege negligence and public nuisance tied to features the plaintiffs describe as addictive, and that school districts are bearing costs for student mental-health supports as a result. "What our attorneys are asking us is whether we would like to join litigation that 2,000 other school boards across the country and 50 other school boards in North Carolina have already joined," Kronk told the board.
Board members discussed district costs and prevention efforts before moving to the motion. Mr. Barger moved that the board "authorize Mr. Kronk to join us as a plaintiff in this matter," a motion seconded by Miss Cook and carried by voice vote. Board staff and members described increased expenditures on counselors and social workers and pointed to the district's BeCyberSafe program and monthly "media balance and well-being" curriculum as preventive measures in classrooms.
The action authorizes counsel to participate in the MDL on the district's behalf; the materials forwarded to the board included a request for direction rather than a directive to expend funds. Kronk said he would follow up on timing and procedural questions raised by the board about joining the litigation and the firm’s materials.
