School Safety Versus Fourth Amendment

School Safety versus Fourth Amendment: Searching Immediately Upon Suspicion

Searching Immediately Upon Suspicion

Imagine she is at work. A day just like any other begins in its painfully normal manner. The phone starts ringing. Welcome to another day. Call after monotonous call, she plugs through the day. Little did she know the pain she would feel could make her wish for a million more boring days? “Mrs.” the voice on the other line quivers, “We need your presents at the school.” Something terrible has happened. Nobody wants to hear news so horrible. We regret to inform you, your daughter has been shot, by a schoolmate. Incidents like these should never come about. One way to make sure this never happens, is to suspend any student who brings weapons or drugs to school. Anytime, spent by a school official, waiting for authorization to perform a search for weapons or drugs can quickly become deadly to anyone in the suspect’s path.

School children always have settled disagreements and hardships in many ways. Well-adjusted children generally cope in the appropriate way, according to the school policy. Others may become bullies; threatening and acting violent toward other students. Some act you in class, causing disturbances and attempting to gain attention at all costs. When these behavior problems escalate, the results can be tragic to many students and faculty. Students, sometimes, use drugs in school to fit in or cope with their peers putting pressure on them, and with the pain that comes with simply attending school. Others may wield weapons to protect themselves, to gain attention from others, or physically harm other students or any faculty member. When this happens, the public becomes a hazardous place to learn. Students bringing weapons and drugs to school are occurring less often than in the Nineties. A study was done in 2007. According to the University of Virginia School of Education: Violence in schools, 2007. Para. 1. A...