Supremely Stupid Searches

As if, as a parent, I don't have enough to worry about in sending my children to public school.

There are issues of violence and drugs in schools, though things are pretty quiet round these parts. Still, there has been an occasional incident of fighting, or girls subjected to inappropriate physical contact. In the latter case, it shouldn't have to be the school administration I have to worry about. And definitely not with the blessings of the Supreme Court.

Now my husband and I are all for a school administration having the authority to keep the school safe. In too many houses of learning across the land, teachers' and principals' hands have been tied in their efforts to maintain order in their classrooms. Out-of-control students and litigious parents have only made the situation worse.

We have made it clear to our own children that we expect them to cooperate with their teachers, as they have a hard enough job and they don't need to deal with any tom-foolery. We have made it clear to their teachers that they should call us if any disruptive behavior appears, so it can be nipped in the bud. Thankfully, this has very rarely been any kind of issue.

But in light of the case which will soon be decided by the Supreme Court, we had a very different conversation with our daughters the other night. The highest court in the land will be ruling on a case in which a young girl was subjected to basically a strip search by a school nurse trying to determine if she had concealed a couple of Advils in her underwear. She was forced to remove her clothing and then shake out her undergarments. There were no pills found.

It seems ridiculous to me that this has made it all the way to the Supreme Court, and in every story I have seen or read about this case, the obvious solution has never been mentioned.

The school has argued that it needs to keep the other students safe. From two pain relief pills? I don't care if the girl actually did have the medication. I don't care if they suspected she had crack cocaine, or an automatic weapon, or heck, even a nuclear bomb hidden on her person.

Subjecting that poor girl to a strip search was not only out of bounds, it did nothing to keep the student body safe. If there was an actual concern here, all they had to do was keep the girl away from the rest of the students until -- depending upon the suspected offense -- the student's parents or law enforcement was brought in.

If there was still any suspicion of danger -- remove the student from the school grounds. Why are we arguing whether or not a school can compel a student to remove her clothing? Why haven't government officials been able to come up with this no-brainer solution? Why haven't the great legal minds that have all been reviewing this case come up with this other indisputable recourse?

Because they are too busy proving how clever they are? Because they are more concerned about prevailing in a legal case than they are in the emotional well-being of the students?

So my husband and I informed our children that if this type of incident ever happens to them, they have our explicit permission to say no, and to demand to have us contacted. And if they bring in a police officer without us present, they also have the right to ask for us to be brought in, and/or a lawyer.

We have told them that, while the safety of a school is important, their dignity is tantamount. Supremely simple.

Comments

[Michael Malone]

Why do your husband and you still have your daughter in government school?

[Colette Moran]

We had our children in a Christian school back in Illinois -- all five, with all fees and such was under $5k -- here, it would cost about $25k

We are seriously considering Christian school for high school, although we will have 3 at a time for 4 straight years at one point, and 2 at once for 2 more...

But it will be worth it.

[Judith Hathaway]

Very cool - love your blog!

[buy ultram online]

choosing the right school for our children is very important. nice blog.