Dexter Community Schools joins a case involving social media litigation

Citing concerns for its students, Dexter Community Schools has joined a lawsuit against some social media companies.

The DCS Board of Education issued a decision on April 10, which now has Dexter schools part of a social media litigation case. DCS Superintendent Chris Timmis sent out a message on April 13 updating the school community about the decision.

Timmis said, “On Monday, April 10, 2023, the Dexter Community Schools Board of Education approved a resolution authorizing Dexter Community Schools to join a nationwide litigation against Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, Tik-Tok, and other social media platforms in a California federal court.”

“The Board approved joining the suit out of concern to protect students,” said Timmis in the letter to staff and parents.

For some background, Timmis’ letter said: “The lawsuit seeks monetary damages and injunctive relief associated with defendants targeting minors to maximize profits despite knowing the severe detrimental effects excessive social media use causes to minors.”

In January 2023, Pittsburg Public Schools, Seattle Public Schools, and other public school districts across the country joined a nationwide lawsuit against the listed social media companies.

“Dexter Community Schools is joining the lawsuit in hopes of protecting our students,” said Timmis.

In a letter to the school board and district, the Thrun Law Firm said “Schools nationwide have recently started joining a nationwide litigation against Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Tik-Tok, and other social media platforms. The lawsuit asserts that social media companies targeted minors to maximize profits despite knowing the severe detrimental effects excessive social media use causes to minors. Research confirms that social media use is associated with increased rates of depression, anxiety, eating disorders, suicide, and property damage.”

This is not the letter in whole, but here are some additional details from Thrun’s letter:

“Frantz Law Group, the California law firm representing at least 125 Michigan schools in the nationwide litigation against Juul and other vaping product manufacturers, is also representing schools in the social media litigation. As it did with the vaping litigation, Frantz requested that Thrun Law Firm determine whether Michigan schools are interested in joining the social media litigation and, if so, to facilitate contact with Frantz. School districts, intermediate school districts, and public school academies are eligible to join the social media litigation.

“The social media litigation seeks monetary compensation for past damages incurred by schools related to the social media epidemic created by the defendants, as well as anticipated future damages.

“For past damages, the litigation seeks reimbursement for costs associated with social media use, such as property damage caused by students engaging in social media trends and any lost state aid caused by social media suspensions and expulsions. For future damages, the litigation seeks compensation for appropriately handling social media-related issues going forward, including funds for counselors and educational programming.”