FILE: JCAB
STUDENT SEARCHES
The Washington Parish School Board is the exclusive owner of any public school building and any desk or locker utilized by any student contained therein or any other area that may be set aside for the personal use of the students. Any teacher, principal, administrator, or school security guard employed by the School Board, having a reasonable belief that any public school building, desk, locker, area or grounds of any public school contains any weapons, illegal drugs, alcoholic beverages, nitrate based inhalants, stolen goods, or other items the possession of which is prohibited by any law, School Board policy, or school rule, may search such building, desk, locker, area or grounds of said public school. Students shall have no expectation of privacy in use of the lockers which have been assigned to them. The acceptance and use of locker facilities or the parking of privately owned vehicles on school campuses by students shall constitute consent by the student to the search of such locker facilities or vehicles by authorized school personnel. Any student not present during the search shall be informed of the search immediately thereafter.
Any teacher, principal, administrator, or school security guard employed by the School Board, may search the person of a student or his/her personal effects when based on the attendant circumstances at the time of the search, there are reasonable grounds to suspect that the search will reveal evidence that the student has violated the law, School Board policy, or a school rule. Such a search shall be conducted in a manner that is reasonably related to the purpose of the search and the nature of the suspected offense. Such factors to be considered in determining the manner in which searches may be conducted are:
Age and sex of student
Behavior record of student
Need for search
Purpose of search
Type of search
Reliability of the information used to conduct search
The relative importance of making the search without delay
Nature and severity of problem in overall school environment
Random searches with a metal detector of a student or his/her personal effects may be conducted at any time, provided such searches are conducted without deliberate touching of the student.
Any search of student's person shall be done privately by a teacher, administrator, or security guard of the same sex as the student to be searched. At least one witness who is of the same sex as said student shall be present throughout the search. Detailed documentation shall be made of all searches. If requested, notification of the search shall be sent to the parents of the student involved.
Any automobile parked on School Board property by a student may also be searched at any time by school officials who have articulable facts which lead them reasonably to believe that items in violation of state law, School Board policy or school rule are contained therein. If the automobile is locked, the student shall unlock the vehicle. If the student refuses to unlock the vehicle, proper law enforcement authorities shall be summoned and the student shall be subject to disciplinary action.
No actions taken pursuant to this policy by any teacher, principal, administrator, or school security guard employed by the School Board shall be taken maliciously or with willful and deliberate intent to harass, embarrass or intimidate any student.
Upon proper school personnel confiscating any firearm, bomb, knife, or other implement which could be used as a weapon, or any controlled dangerous substance, the principal or designee shall report the confiscation to the appropriate law enforcement officials. Any implement or material confiscated shall be retained, catalogued, and secured by the principal so as to prevent the destruction, alteration, or disappearance until such time as the implement or material is given to law enforcement personnel for disposal. Any principal or designee failing to report any prohibited weapon or confiscated material or implement to law enforcement personnel or failing to properly secure any weapon or confiscated material or implement shall be subject to appropriate disciplinary action as may be determined by the Superintendent and/or School Board.
If any teacher, principal, administrator, or school security guard employed by the School Board should be sued for damages by any student, the parent of such student or by any other person on behalf of such student, based upon a search conducted in compliance with this policy, the School Board shall provide such teacher, principal, administrator, or school security guard with a legal defense thereto, including reasonable attorney's fees, investigative costs and other related expenses. In such suit, the School Board shall indemnify him/her fully against said judgment including principal, interest and costs.
If in any suit brought against any teacher, principal, administrator, or school security guard employed by the School Board, as stated above, there is a specific finding that the action of the teacher, principal, administrator, or school security guard was malicious and willfully and deliberately intended to harass, embarrass or intimidate the student, the School Board shall not indemnify such teacher, principal, administrator, or school security guard in the event a judgment for damages shall be rendered against him/her. Whenever any search is conducted pursuant to this policy, a written record shall be made thereof by at least two (2) adult employees of the School Board who conducted the search and shall include names of the persons involved, the circumstances leading to the search and the results of the search.
GUIDELINES FOR USE OF METAL DETECTORS
The stated purposes of the search are to prevent students from bringing weapons in the schools pursuant to Louisiana law.
Administrators or assigned designees shall operate the metal detectors.
All individuals on the school property or within school jurisdiction are subject to the search.
The administrators or designees who conduct the search shall explain to the students the nature of the metal detector to alleviate fear and anxiety.
Students may be searched randomly or, if there is probable cause, a student may be searched individually.
If the metal detector positively activates, the administrator or designee shall ask the student to produce the signal-triggering metal object.
If the student refuses to produce the metal object, then a reasonable articulable suspicion exists, and the school administrator or his/her designee shall be allowed a same gender "pat down" search within the parameter of the law. A student who refuses to be searched may be suspended.
Any illegal objects found during the search shall be retained by the school officials until the law enforcement official makes a ruling on the nature of the contraband.
| Revised: December, 1991 | Revised: October, 1994 |
| Revised: March, 1994 | Revised: July 19, 2018 |
Ref: U.S. Constitution, Amend. IV
U.S. Constitution, Amend. XIV, Sec. 1
La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ยงยง17:416, 17:416.3
Moore v. Student Affairs Committee of Troy State University, 284 F.Supp. 725 (M.D. Ala. 1970)
State v. Stein, 203 Kan. 638 456 P.2d (1969)
New Jersey v. T.L.O., 469 US 325, 105 S.Ct. 733
Louisiana Handbook for School Administrators, Bulletin 741, Louisiana Department of Education
Board minutes, 2-15-94, 7-19-18
Washington Parish School Board