Are locker searches at school legal?

Answer by  jclick (1561)

Locker searches at school are legal. The Supreme Court case TLO vs. New Jersey is the precedent-setting case on the issue of Fourth Amendment rights in schools stated that schools have a responsibility to protect the saftey of all students and can conduct searches if they have reasonable suspicion that school rules have been broken.

Answer by  beck (1099)

Yes, locker searches are legal. You are using space in the school, it belongs to the school, it isn't your property and can therefore be searched. Your car, if it is on school property can also be searched. Don't bring things to school if you think they may be illegal.

Answer by  Anonymous

Locker searches are stupid and invade your privacy but the lockers are property of the school so they technically have a right to search them.... that still doesn't mean they stink. but searching phones is a whole other story! its your property they shouldn't be allowed to search your property!!

Answer by  Anonymous

Although the lockers are the property of the school, the contents within are not locker searches are unconstitutional and deny students of their 4th amendment rights, are students not citizens that should enjoy their rights ?

Answer by  DrHarris (508)

Legality of searches such as these are typically based upon whether the student has a reasonable expectation of privacy. If the school distributes a locker policy that states they will perform regular inspections/searches, then it lessens the expectation of privacy and thus becomes legal. Additionally, the school owns the lockers, and can do what they want with them.

Answer by  Scot (591)

Locker searches aat schools are absolutely legal. The school lockers are property of the school which is why in most schools students are not allowed to use personal locks, but, instead, only locks issued by the school. Schools have the right to perform locker searches in order to ensure the safety of students and staff.