Section:5000 Students
Policy Name:Search and Seizure
Policy Number:5145.12
Date Approved:10/10/1989
Last Revised:6/13/2005


The school administration is authorized to search any student locker or desk, and any student automobile located on school premises, for weapons, contraband or the fruits of a crime when there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that the search will produce evidence that the student has violated or is violating the law or school rules. The decision to search shall be made by the principal or the principal's designee. The search shall be made in the presence of at least one witness. Illegal or dangerous items or other contraband shall be seized and reported to the appropriate authorities.

The school administration also is authorized to search a student's person where there are reasonable grounds for suspecting the search will produce evidence that the student has violated or is violating the law or school rules. The search of a student's person includes a search of a student's clothing and personal effects. A search of a student's person shall be conducted by a person of the same sex as the student and in the presence of a witness of the same sex as the student. Under no circumstances shall school district personnel conduct a "strip" search of a student. In the event that a student is reasonably suspected of concealing evidence of criminal activity that can be obtained only by removal of clothing and the student refuses to deliver such evidence, the assistance of the police may be obtained.

Any search shall be reasonably related in scope to the circumstances that justified the search in the first place. The scope of the search is reasonable when the measures adopted are reasonably related to the objectives of the search and not excessively intrusive in light of the age and sex of the student and the nature of the infraction.

Legal Reference: Connecticut General Statutes §54-33n
New Jersey v. T.L.O., 469 U.S. 325,1055 S.Ct. 733 (1985)