Illegal strip search
In an 8-to-1 decision, the Supreme Court has ruled that a strip search of a 13-year-old girl by officials at her middle school violated the Constitution. The New York Times reports that justices concluded that the search for the pills in question, prescription-strength ibuprofen, did not justify an “embarrassing, frightening and humiliating search.”
Savana Redding, then 13, was forced to submit to the search at Safford (Ariz.) Middle School in 2003.
“The content of the suspicion failed to match the degree of the intrusion,” Justice David Souter’s majority opinion stated.
Do you agree with the court’s opinion?
Leave a comment below.
June 30th, 2009 @ 8:09 am
It is time we get back to the days of common sense. If a report of an illegal drug was made, then the parent(s) should be summoned to school immediately; the student should be kept in direct view of administrators (in plural–more than 1). Once the parent is present, then–only then–law enforcement and the parent decide what occurs. If you cannot interrogate a minor without the parent or lawyer present, then how can we justify this act? Ibuprofen is not a drug that kids are going to abuse….Common sense people. It is amazing we have all of these educated people running schools that have no knowledge or common sense about the real world.
June 30th, 2009 @ 9:29 am
Agree. School leaders showed poor judgment. Training of education leaders must include case studies in child development & personnel management.
June 30th, 2009 @ 2:18 pm
Unfortunately, searching a student has become necessary, but even this can be done with tact and not degrade anyone. It is done in airports and terminals. Strong objections to this raise a red flag; what is being hidden? When parents become parents again, maybe this process will no longer be necessary to protect the student body at large.