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Student Search in Middle School: Is frisking by admin legal?

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missdomb

New member
My 8th grade son was frisked or "patted" down as the school called it during a search for a missing student phone. This search was held in the gym locker room by a male administrator without another adult present. My son was one of about 40 boys searched. Is this legal?

Here's the statement in the school's code of conduct: School officials may examine a student if there is adequate suspicion that the student is in possession of an item that is illegal or against school rules. Student backpacks, school lockers, desks and other school property are submitted to inspection and search by school authorities at any time without notification to students or parents. The students are required to cooperate if asked to open their backpacks or lockers.

Very interested to hear others' thoughts!
Thanks!
Missy
 


quincy

Senior Member
My 8th grade son was frisked or "patted" down as the school called it during a search for a missing student phone. This search was held in the gym locker room by a male administrator without another adult present. My son was one of about 40 boys searched. Is this legal?

Here's the statement in the school's code of conduct: School officials may examine a student if there is adequate suspicion that the student is in possession of an item that is illegal or against school rules. Student backpacks, school lockers, desks and other school property are submitted to inspection and search by school authorities at any time without notification to students or parents. The students are required to cooperate if asked to open their backpacks or lockers.

Very interested to hear others' thoughts!
Thanks!
Missy
What is the name of your state?
 

quincy

Senior Member
Thanks.

Were all students in the same room during the pat downs?

School officials need to have a reasonable suspicion to conduct a search; law enforcement officers would need probable cause. This absent consent given by the students to being searched.
 

missdomb

New member
Thanks.

Were all students in the same room during the pat downs?

School officials need to have a reasonable suspicion to conduct a search; law enforcement officers would need probable cause. This absent consent given by the students to being searched.
The boys were gathered in the boys' locker room of the gym and pulled into another room/office for the search by the AP. What do you mean about "this absent consent"?
 

quincy

Senior Member
The boys were gathered in the boys' locker room of the gym and pulled into another room/office for the search by the AP. What do you mean about "this absent consent"?
The boys can consent to a search.

I know there was a report on Twitter about a sheriff in Georgia conducting a pat down search of 900 students, and he was said to have “groped” several students. If you saw that (and if that actually happened - I have my doubts), it would be a very very rare exception to student searches. I doubt your son experienced with the search anything but a simple pat down to check for a concealed phone.

Was the missing phone found?
 

FlyingRon

Senior Member
Was the missing phone found?
Irrelevant. The ends do not justify the means. If the phone was found, it doesn't mean the searches were justified. If the phone was not found, it doesn't mean the searches weren't.
 

quincy

Senior Member
Irrelevant. The ends do not justify the means. If the phone was found, it doesn't mean the searches were justified. If the phone was not found, it doesn't mean the searches weren't.
Curiosity drove my question, FlyingRon. Sorry if it somehow offended you. :)
 

xylene

Senior Member
How can a middle school student meaningfully consent to a search by a school administrator?

There is zero level of awareness of a right to an alternative and their is the coercion of an authority figure in an enviromnent where the student has no right to leave.
 

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