- Jurisdiction
- Tennessee
Hi, my child is attending school. In the student handbook, it states they have the right to search his body. I am also wondering if they have the right to search my child's phone such as photos, texts, and calls records, etc. Here is the specific clause.
"Personal Searches: A student and/or personal effects (e.g., purse, book bag, etc.) may be searched
whenever a school authority has reasonable suspicion to believe that the student is in possession
of illegal or unauthorized materials. Students may be asked to empty their pockets, pocketbooks,
wallets, book bags, etc. without the parent's permission or the student's permission. Registration
of the child constitutes parental consent to such searches. If the student refuses and the school
feels a personal search of the student's person or belongings are required (as per the safety of that
student or any other student), then the parents will be phoned and must come to school to perform
the search. If the parents fail to come to the School to perform the search in a reasonable time
and/or the student refuses to empty his/her pockets or remove from his or her person what is
suspected, then the student's privilege to attend"
"Personal Searches: A student and/or personal effects (e.g., purse, book bag, etc.) may be searched
whenever a school authority has reasonable suspicion to believe that the student is in possession
of illegal or unauthorized materials. Students may be asked to empty their pockets, pocketbooks,
wallets, book bags, etc. without the parent's permission or the student's permission. Registration
of the child constitutes parental consent to such searches. If the student refuses and the school
feels a personal search of the student's person or belongings are required (as per the safety of that
student or any other student), then the parents will be phoned and must come to school to perform
the search. If the parents fail to come to the School to perform the search in a reasonable time
and/or the student refuses to empty his/her pockets or remove from his or her person what is
suspected, then the student's privilege to attend"