NCJ Number
127620
Date Published
1987
Length
8 pages
Annotation
The United States Supreme Court declared in New Jersey v. T.L.O. that the interests of the entire school community will not be subjugated to the privacy rights of the individual student and therefore that the standard for conducting school searches should be relaxed.
Abstract
The case involved the search of the purse of a student whom a teacher had discovered smoking in a lavatory. The search revealed marijuana, drug paraphernalia, dollar bills, a list of students who owed money to the student, and two letters that implicated the student in marijuana dealing. At the delinquency hearing the defendant contended that the search of the purse violated the fourth amendment. The Court's decision reflected its view in previous cases that public school students are entitled to all constitutional protections, but that these rights must be modified to maintain an orderly and safe educational environment. However, the Court has not provided an easy measure for evaluating the constitutionality of school searches, because the standard of reasonableness is subject to many interpretations. Footnotes and references