LCPS Board of Education votes to join school districts across the country, seeking to hold platforms liable for harming students’ mental health.
Source: Las Cruces Public Schools
Article By: Kelly Jameson
October 14, 2024
Las Cruces Public Schools, New Mexico’s second-largest public school district, has retained attorneys to represent the district against major social media companies including Meta, Google, ByteDance and Snap, Inc. The suit, which now includes more than 200 school districts nationwide, is in response to a mounting mental health crisis among students who are increasingly affected by the harmful impacts of social media.
At their Sept. 3 work session, the LCPS Board of Education voted to enter into a limited engagement agreement with Singleton Schreiber, LLP and Cuddy & McCarthy, LLP. The action places the district among a growing number of school districts in alleging that social media companies design their platforms in a way that results in adolescent addiction, exacerbating the mental health crisis among students.
“When children become hooked on these platforms and are exposed to harmful content, they face a heightened risk of depression, anxiety and other serious mental health issues,” said Brian Colón, the attorney retained by the school district, and Managing Partner of Singleton Schreiber New Mexico. “We seek to hold social media companies accountable for the damage their platforms have caused.”
The U.S. Surgeon General has called for health warnings on social media for young people – advising that platforms are linked to significant mental health harm. In schools, the anonymous nature of social media makes online bullying more extreme and repetitive than face-to-face bullying, which has long been a growing concern on school campuses. Additionally, social media use is directly correlated with increased anxiety and depression.
In response, LCPS has introduced anonymous reporting apps on school campuses to encourage students to report incidents of bullying, violence or threats of self-harm. The district also implemented the use of firewall monitoring on school devices and the Board of Education passed Policy JICFA earlier this year to address bullying, cyberbullying, racialized aggression and harassment while students are on school property, on a school bus or while at any school-sponsored activity or event. The policy includes language that strongly discourages inappropriate communication on social media sites such as harassment, bullying or threats of harm, damage or injury. The district also has agreements with School Based Health Centers and has contracted with mental health services since 2020 to supplement school counseling and social work.
“The action taken by the Board is not about legal outcomes or compensation,” noted LCPS Board of Education President Teresa Tenorio. “It sends a message that social media companies are culpable for their negative impact on our youth and are directly responsible for effecting positive change. Our voice in this much-needed public conversation may also force lawmakers and regulators to act.”
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