An analysis of legal cases involving search and seizure of public school students from 1994--2004

Today's public school administrators face the increasingly difficult task of maintaining safe and healthy learning environments for students. This study examines legal cases in which school authorities and/or law enforcement allegedly have violated students' Fourth Amendment rights without basis for reasonable suspicion when searching students. When the U.S. Supreme Court rendered its decision in New Jersey v. T.L.O. (1985), many people anticipated that the confusion and uncertainty surrounding the issue of search and seizure of public school students would be resolved. The researcher, a former police officer and administrator, offers case analysis as one way to aid administrators seeking to protect both safety and individual rights in search and seizure cases. The researcher studied existing case law involving search and seizure in public schools. Additionally, she sought to identify issues that the U.S. Supreme Court did not address in T.L.O. Finally, recommendations for school officials and law enforcement who must conduct searches of students' belongings are offered.