Random Student Locker Searches Without Permission
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Random Student Locker Searches without Permission
Random Student Locker Searches without Permission
As an educator it is my responsibility to ensure the safety of all of my students, which includes conducting random locker searches without permission. While many people may believe that searching a student’s locker without permission infringes upon the student’s rights, “the Supreme Court decided early on that the need by teachers and administrators to maintain order outweighs the privacy interests of students in a case called New Jersey v. TLO,” (Thiagarajah, 2006). Another thing students and parents may not realize is the lockers are the property of the school, not the student. A random locker search is a necessary measure to help keep weapons and drugs out of the school. It is not a measure to limit the civil rights of the students who attend the school.
All teachers have a responsibility to ensure the safety and well being of their students. Performing random locker searches with or without the permission of the students is one of the best ways to provide a safe environment for all students. Although this is a necessary measure, educators and administrators must still have probable cause to search a student’s locker. The U.S. Supreme Court claims that searches are only justified “when there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that the search will turn up evidence that the student has violated or is violating either the law or the rules of the school,” (Thiagarajah, 2006). To avoid violating a student’s rights, a search cannot be conducted on a hunch or a rumor. However, if a student reports another student having illegal contents in their locker, then this is considered probable cause. It also depends on severity of the claim. The report of a gun in a locker is taken much more seriously than the claim of a student having cigarettes in his or her locker (Thiagarajah, 2006).
As an educator it is my responsibility to enforce the laws or...
Random Student Locker Searches without Permission
As an educator it is my responsibility to ensure the safety of all of my students, which includes conducting random locker searches without permission. While many people may believe that searching a student’s locker without permission infringes upon the student’s rights, “the Supreme Court decided early on that the need by teachers and administrators to maintain order outweighs the privacy interests of students in a case called New Jersey v. TLO,” (Thiagarajah, 2006). Another thing students and parents may not realize is the lockers are the property of the school, not the student. A random locker search is a necessary measure to help keep weapons and drugs out of the school. It is not a measure to limit the civil rights of the students who attend the school.
All teachers have a responsibility to ensure the safety and well being of their students. Performing random locker searches with or without the permission of the students is one of the best ways to provide a safe environment for all students. Although this is a necessary measure, educators and administrators must still have probable cause to search a student’s locker. The U.S. Supreme Court claims that searches are only justified “when there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that the search will turn up evidence that the student has violated or is violating either the law or the rules of the school,” (Thiagarajah, 2006). To avoid violating a student’s rights, a search cannot be conducted on a hunch or a rumor. However, if a student reports another student having illegal contents in their locker, then this is considered probable cause. It also depends on severity of the claim. The report of a gun in a locker is taken much more seriously than the claim of a student having cigarettes in his or her locker (Thiagarajah, 2006).
As an educator it is my responsibility to enforce the laws or...