LCPS to host Aug. 14 town hall on social media lawsuit

Parents and community members will hear about student mental health concerns and the district’s role in a national case against major platforms.

Organ Mountain News report

LAS CRUCES - Las Cruces Public Schools will host a town hall to inform parents and community members about the dangers of social media and explain the district’s decision to join a national lawsuit against major tech companies.

The event is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 14, in the boardroom at the Dr. Karen M. Trujillo Administration Complex, 505 S. Main St. in Las Cruces. It will also be livestreamed.

Approved by the LCPS Board of Education in 2024, the lawsuit seeks to hold platforms such as Meta, Google, ByteDance and Snap Inc. accountable for contributing to a youth mental health crisis. The case, which includes more than 500 school districts nationwide, alleges the companies intentionally design their platforms to be addictive for adolescents. The first trial in the series of school district cases is expected in spring 2026.

District officials say they have seen sharp increases in anxiety, depression and self-harm among students, with social media often cited as a contributing factor. Counselors are managing more mental health referrals, and teachers are spending more instructional time addressing conflicts tied to online behavior.

Social media is also a major distraction from learning, LCPS said. This year, the district revised its cell phone policies across all grade levels to limit distractions and social media use during the school day. Officials said compulsive scrolling, addictive design features and constant digital stimulation are disrupting sleep, hindering social development and harming academic performance.

Former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has called for health warnings on social media platforms, citing growing evidence of harm to young people. LCPS says anonymity online has fueled more extreme and repetitive bullying, which is directly correlated with rising anxiety and depression.

“This town hall is our opportunity to come together as a community, protect the well-being of our students, and keep our families informed,” LCPS Superintendent Ignacio Ruiz said in a statement. “This lawsuit is about standing up for our children.”

“Our litigation approach is about education, empowerment, and accountability,” said Brian Colón, managing partner at Singleton Schreiber in New Mexico. “Parents deserve to understand how social media is impacting their children’s mental health and what steps can be taken to address it.”

Attorneys from Singleton Schreiber LLP will facilitate the meeting, explain next steps in the case and answer questions from attendees.