by Amaryllis Holloway-Turman

Created on: April 24, 2009   Last Updated: April 28, 2009

The case Safford School District vs. Redding has begun, appearing before the Supreme Court. This case is about a school's right to strip search students if there is suspicion of drug abuse. In the case that is before the Supreme Court, the child was 13 when she was searched. The teachers and school officials thought that she was a drug dealer. They searched her book bag and personal bag. When they did not find anything, they made her take off her clothes. The child was, in her words, humiliated to the point that she had to change schools. She could not live with the embarrassment of being seen in her underwear by the school officials.

The position of the parents is that their child was an honor student. According to them, she should not have been suspected as being a drug dealer. It is easy to understand the thought process of the parents. What they know of their child seems to rule out the possibility that she could be involved in something drug related. In regards to the strip search incident, they are thinking about the shame and anxiety their child felt as a result of the search. It was their child that was "violated" and "embarrassed".

That being said, they have to examine the bigger picture. A child might have good grades, but lead a double life that includes drug abuse or drug dealing. In the case of this young girl, being an honor roll student did not exclude her from possible wrongdoing.

It is tragic that the strip search had such a negative emotional effect on the girl. However in the defense of the school, officials had to take into context many different factors when deciding if she was a potential drug deal: her school companions and the allegations against her. A search of her person was the only way that they could remove all doubt that she was dealing drugs at school.

It is doubtful that the first option of school officials was to do a strip search. That was a last resort. It was not just the feelings of this young teenage girl that was at stake. They had to think about the potential fallout from a drug overdose incident in the school. They were aware of what the ramifications if that happened. They had experienced that the year before.

It is only logical that they would follow up on any tips concerning potential drug dealers. The tip did not seem to be outlandish when they considered the reputation of the other youths that associated with the young girl.

If this young girl had been a drug dealer and they had not reacted to the claims, they would have been in a worse legal situation. They would have also had a guilty conscience that they did not do whatever they could to prevent a tragedy.

Many parents are surprised when it is their child that is suspected of being a drug dealer or user. They forget that drug use and dealing is not limited to a certain class or type of person. Rich, poor, seemingly successful, and obviously not successful people are all possible types of people that might be using or dealing drugs. Parents can choose to live a some what sheltered, myopic view of what their child might or might not do. On the other hand, school officials have to face the reality every day of what young are doing during school hours and make tough decisions because of that.

So the question to be answered is, "What measures should a school official go to ensure that drugs are not being dealt at school?"

If a child knows that there are places that cannot be searched for drugs, where do you will think they will hide their drugs?

The Supreme Court's decision is due in June. It will be interesting to see what they decide.

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