Regulation 5420-7

Students

Student Search

Reviewed and affirmed by the Board: 
Last Revision: 
Original publish date: 05/25/2010
Related policies & regulations:  
Legal references:  

  

If there is reasonable suspicion to believe a student is in possession of contraband (i.e., any item of which possession is forbidden by law or school policy) the following procedure will be followed:

1. A building administrator or designee will immediately be notified;
2. The administrator or designee will investigate the situation and if, as a result, has reasonable suspicion that the student has contraband on their person, will request the student to remove any contraband item from their person and turn it over to the administrator or designee; a refusal to cooperate may be considered insubordination and itself be grounds for disciplinary action;
3. The student will be searched in the presence of two staff members if available. If the search is of the student’s body, the staff members will be of the same sex as the student; and
4. Strip searches shall not be conducted by school staff. If a strip search is deemed necessary, the building administrator will notify the police.
5. Reasonable efforts will be made to advise parents or guardian of the search as soon as possible thereafter.

The building administrator may choose to notify the police rather than conduct the search.  In that case, the following steps will be followed:

1. The student will remain under observation until the police arrive. The student may be asked to voluntarily turn over any contraband to the school administrator;
2. Parents/guardians will be contacted as soon as reasonably possible and informed of the situation; and
3. The school will apprise the police of the information possessed by the school administrator, and the school will release the student to the police.