In an important ruling on the rights of students, the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) ruled that the Safford Unified School District’s strip search of a middle school teenage girl accused of having prescription-strength ibuprofen was illegal. In its 8-1 ruling with Justice Clarence Thomas as the lone dissenter on the main question, the justices held…
Category: Youth & Schools
HI: Good vote on school locker search (Editorial)
The state Board of Education is on solid ground in allowing public school officials to make sure that students’ lockers are not used as caches for weapons, illicit drugs or other contraband. Its decision to use dogs to sniff for drugs could be helpful as long as they don’t sniff students themselves in violation of…
‘Chicago Trib’ Sues U of Illinois to Get Grades of Applicants
Continuing its investigation into how sub-par applicants with personal connections were admitted to the University of Illinois, the Chicago Tribune is suing the school demanding the applicants grade-point averages and standardized tests scores. In a lawsuit filed in Sangamon County, Ill., Circuit Court, the Tribune is demanding the U of I immediately fulfill its request…
MS: Teacher Snooped on Facebook, Student Says
From Courthouse News: A high school teacher asked for the password to a student’s Facebook page, and then circulated information from the page to other teachers and school administrators to embarrass, punish and humiliate the girl for a discussion she had had with another student through the site, the girl’s parents say in a constitutional…