The district’s board of trustees approved joining the lawsuit Feb. 10. The lawsuit intends to recover damages that have been incurred as a result of the mental health harms caused to children on social media, said Esther Kolni, the district’s legal counsel.
The suit’s argument is that social media companies have known about the damages being done to children and chose to put profits over their needs, Kolni said.
“We have expended quite a lot of money to help our students because we meet the student’s needs regardless of whether we receive additional funding,” she said. “This [lawsuit] would help to compensate us.”
The backstory
Whistleblowers from large social media companies presented evidence to the federal government that the companies knew their algorithms were causing mental health harms to young people, Kolni said. Following that testimony in 2024, the proposed legislation to add protections for children did not pass the senate.
The suit is meant to have social media companies pay for the damages that the district has already incurred, Kolni explained.
The cause
FISD has spent approximately $40 to $300 per student on different mental health needs. The expenses the district has output include:
- Additional staffing hired to address mental health needs
- Costs related to disciplinary issues
- Purchasing cyber security technology
Joining the lawsuit will not cost the district. FISD will only be responsible for paying legal fees if the district’s party wins the lawsuit and the fees will be paid with the funds received in recovery.
