Random_Searches_in_Schools

Random Searches in School: Is this a violation of privacy' Carrie Landry COM/220 March 7, 2010   Random searches, drug dogs, school action groups; these are just some of the ways to prevent violence in schools. Did you know that guns and drugs have been found in school lockers of children as young as elementary school' Violence in our schools has been a growing problem since the late 80s, our government and society has tried numerous methods to control this epidemic, we as parents should allow schools to perform random searches of our children’s belongings to aid in this rapidly growing outbreak. Schools have not taken responsibility for these searches because there are parents and students alike who feel like this is an invasion of privacy. How can any parent feel like it is an invasion of privacy when their child may be the one caught in the gunfire' The two most devastating school massacres that have happened in the past ten years will be remembered and stories told for years to come. Columbine High school and Virginia Tech, there were a total of 48 students massacred between these two incidents. This act of violence took the lives of 48 innocent people. These victims thought they were safe and under the shield of school to protect them. This was not the case. Since 1999, two of the deadliest school campus shootings have occurred and could have been avoided by the warning signs the killers exhibited. The massacre at Columbine High on April 20, 1999 shocked the entire nation. Two teenage boys so filled with anger, planned and plotted for a very long time to make this happen. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold known as the trench coaters had diaries and journals with the plan of attack found in their school lockers. A timeline of events that occurred during Columbine show that if someone had taken a closer look at the behaviors of these troubled students they would have seen the devastation to come. This act of terror had been carefully planned and executed during school hours. If random searches would have been performed these documents would have been found and could have prevented this tragedy. These two students behavior prior to this day revealed that both shooters exulted odd behavior and both had run-ins with the law. Detailed notebook entries were found as well as threatening websites discovered where they stated word for word what they were planning. The notebook was one of the physical clues found at the crime scene. This proves that if random searches were allowed in schools, this notebook could have been found and destroyed with appropriate repercussions done to the two killers. Lives would have been saved. Columbine Tuesday April 20, 1999 6:15 a.m. Klebold and Harris show up for school as per the norm. 11:00 a.m. Harris and Klebold are wearing wraparound shades and trench coats as they arrive back on campus. 11:15 a.m. Reports that two or three masked gunman entering the school. From this point on death and destruction began. 1:30 p.m. An armored car was brought to the main school entrance. 2:00 p.m. Three youths wearing black clothes but not trench coats were apprehended in a field near the school. They were “friends of the gunmen.” 2:30 p.m. SWAT enters the school to locate the faculty and student body still inside the school. 4:30 p.m. Police find the two suspects shot dead with wounds apparently self inflicted. 6:15 p.m. Car bombs are found and disarmed in the parking lot. 10:30 p.m. A bomb on a timer blows up. Wednesday morning police revise the death toll to 15. The anger issues these teens exhibited should have also gotten someone’s attention. Eric had been prescribed medication for anger issues, why was this not monitored by school. If a student is on Ritalin the schools make sure that the student takes that medication. Why not anger management medication' Virginia Tech was another school massacre; this took place in 2007, and also could have been avoided. An English professor tried multiple times to report Seung-Hui Cho’s radical and disturbing behavior exhibited through his writings. Lucinda Roy, the English professor, decided to take matters in her own hands, and began tutoring him. She contacted four different departments on campus in an attempt to get Cho some help. She was denied any type of assistance because of campus policy; it is against school policy to require a student to seek counseling. The Virginia Tech massacre is classified as the deadliest campus shooting to date. This could have been avoided if any of those four departments would have listened to the English Professor, Lucinda Roy. Lucinda Roy is the author of No Right to Remain Silent and she was interviewed by C Hauser and she said, “I mean, in many ways, people couldn’t imagine something really terrible happening on a campus as beautiful and pristine and picturesque as ours.” (Hauser & O’Conner, 2007, p.16) ABC news reporter Bryan Robinson wrote Drug-Sniffing Dogs on the Rise in Schools. He interviewed Michael Ferdinand, vice president of Interquest, a Houston-based company that trains and contracts drug-detecting dogs. Ferdinand states “What the dogs do is they validate the presence of a problem.” (Robinson, Bryan, 2010) Policing a problem without creating a prison is one way school officials are using to protect their schools. Ronald Stephens, president of the National School Safety Center, states “Certainly, we do not advocate schools carrying out searches just for the sake of searches or dogs sniffing students, before a school starts using drug-sniffing dogs, there needs to be some compelling reason that justifies that there is a drug problem on campus.” (Robinson, Bryan, 2010) I totally disagree with this, why can’t there be random searches of schools and lockers' The students will always be aware that they are subject to searches at anytime; this should prevent a large amount of angry defiant outbreaks from occurring. The National School Safety Center reports that the proportion of students who reported that they had been injured with weapons at school has remained fairly steady over the past two decades. This is definitely a scary thought for a parent. “Students know that their teachers and other school authorities are responsible for providing a safe environment and maintaining order and discipline in the school.” Say’s Justice Cory when interviewed by McKay. These students must know that random searches of lockers, backpacks, and drug-sniffing dogs are ways of maintaining order and discipline. This should not be questioned by students or parents. This is protection for our children. In 1998 a case was brought against a 15-year-old male child. R. v. Z. brought on much debate. A trial judge acquitted Z, stating that the search was unconstitutional. The Summary Conviction appeal Judge overturned the acquittal and the conviction upheld. Students had reported that the student (Z) was present when drug use took place. On the morning of the search student (Z) was absent without permission, only to return to school through an entrance that is not supposed to be open during the day. These instances caused the principle to search Z’s locker and found marijuana. Because there was reasonable cause to perform the search, the Appeal Judge was able to make the conviction stand against the student. This boils down to, the schools must have reasonable cause to search or bring in drug-sniffing dogs. This is a debate about privacy, why; when this is all for the safety of our children. Students would not know to object to any of these practices if they were taught by their parents that this is for a good cause instead of parents teaching their children that this is an invasion of privacy. These same parents walk into their children’s rooms doing the same thing the schools are, but don’t see that they are using their authority as parents to do these searches. The 4th Amendment to the US Constitution states: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.” The arguments against defined as Pro’s and Con’s by the International Debate Education association are; Pros Cons Lockers are school property; students are merely allowed to use them. Denying students the security of a secure anchor in this environment means they are more likely to be adrift and insecure. It is in the interest of all students that drugs and weapons are not in school. General searches constitute an unacceptable intrusion, a search `without probable cause` or `fishing expedition`. We trust teachers to use this power responsibly and not abuse it. Many belongings aren’t illegal but are nevertheless potentially the source of embarrassment. Schools have a duty to care for their students. Responsibility is placed upon schools because the students in their charge are minors. Students should not be considered as subjects without an adequate reason – that’s their right just as much as for adults, and if it is violated, they and their families can and will sue the school. My main argument in this entire battle is for the safety of our children. I have shown that the schools are damned if they do and damned if they don’t. It is time to change this. Our children’s lives are at stake. Education on both the student’s and the parent’s part is what needs to happen to stop this misunderstanding that the schools are out to get the students. Schools also need to join in this fight, because they are the ones that need to ensure that safety and education go hand in hand. The government has started this process by developing programs such as Drug-Free Schools and the Safe and Drug-Free Schools, which in turn allows for grant money to be issued to the schools for implementing these programs. This is not enough, the entire community needs to step up and join in the fight for safety in our schools. If the students see that the entire community is involved as well as school officials we will definitely see a decline in violence and drugs in our schools. I want to establish in my community a watch program to teach students what to look for in their schoolmates and have a place to voice their concerns. Certain behavior patterns can be linked to irrational behavior and could lead to school violence. If students had a place to voice their concerns anonymously and know that actions will be taken I think that these random acts of violence would dramatically decrease and lives could be saved.   References acolumbinesite. (1999). Columbine High School Shooting. Retrieved from http://www.acolumbinesite.com/event/summary.html CBS News. (2009). Warning signs Ignored in Va.Tech Shooting. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/04/07/eveningnews/main4927476.shtml Hauser, C., & O'Connor, A. (2007, April 16). Virginia Tech Shooting Leaves 33 Dead. The New York Times, p. 16. Deane, Alex, (2006, January 16), Idea; International debate education association, retrieved January 18, 2010 http://www.idebate.org/debatabase/topic_print.php'topicID=447. Mckay-Panos, L., (2009 March) Privacy in Schools; Dogs, lockers, bodies and backpacks. Law Now, 33 (4)1-4, Retrieved January 18, 2010 from CBCA complete. (Document ID 1668151981). Robinson, Bryan. (2010). Rise of Drug Dogs in Schools Reflects Dilemma. Retrieved from http://www.abcnews.go.com/print'id=91957 “School Safety.” Issues & Controversies on file, (2005 Feb 15) n.pag. Issues & Controversies. Facts on File News Services, Retrieved January 18, 2010. http://www.2facts.com/article/i0401710 .