New Jersey V. T. L.: A Case Study

(The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated-Staros). Students have many rights; but, it is the right of the school to search students when there is reasonable suspicion of a threat. An example of this is the court case TLO v New Jersey. " T.L.O. was a high school student. School officials searched her purse suspecting she had cigarettes. The officials discovered cigarettes, a small amount of marijuana, and a list containing the names of students who owed T.L.O. money-"New Jersey v. T.L.O.." This case shows that students are not above putting other students and themselves in harm's way. The search of students' personal belongings is necessary when there is a reasonable threat to the schools' student body.

It is only logical that we as a society allow school officials to search students and their belongings when there is reasonable suspicion that something is wrong. In doing so, we are ensuring the safety of our schools. If students are not able to be searched, then it puts the school and the school body at risk. "As of 2013, nearly three in ten high school males reported they carried

Allowing the schools to temporarily suspend the student's Fourth Amendment rights will help keep the students’ school environment safe. "On April 20, 1999, 18-year-old Eric Harris was in the garage of his home, filling duffel bags with bombs and rigging weapons in his trenchcoat. A few miles away, 17-year-old Dylan Klebold was preparing his own weapons. Then they drove to Columbine High School.- Kohn, David." We all know the story, thirteen people were killed and twenty-four were injured in the Columbine School Shooting. If the Columbine High School would have had tighter security regulations they may have been able to avoid such a large