Yeah, pervert! Just because another student says something about another doesn't make it true, the girl may have taken the ibuprofen and told the other student about it, if that were my child, that school had better have called me to find out first what the situation was, then we could go from there. You don't strip search someone on a hunch! I hope the parents come out of this with some money! I know that sounds greedy, but this poor girl may already have been ashamed of her body and told noone sees you naked or touches you ever without your consent. She's 13, at 13 I was so shy it would have mortified me to death for someone other than my mother to see me change my clothes. What morons! I have three daughters and I would have been at that school beating someone's ass! Ok, I've said enough-lol

ditto...i've had a few instances where the school my son goes to crossed the line by not calling me first...or waiting too long before acting on an "incident" that was usally not that big a deal and then just blowing it out of porportion...and by the time i find out about it he is in so much trouble that it blows my mind. this young lady, wether prompted by her attoreny or not makes good sense, her mother should have been called immediatly...

"No, Governor Sanford, no WMD here. "

Not allowing prescription or over the counter drugs seems at all on campus seems a little extreme. Would seem with doctors note or somethign it would be allowed. I'm in my 40's and we already had to have note back in high school to bring prescription drugs or even aspirin to school. I would think they should have something more to go on other than just the comments from another student to decide someone has the drugs on person.

Did I miss in the story, or did they find any drugs on the girl?

Let me ask a question of those totally against the search though. What would you say if a student went up to principal and told him that another student had a gun hidden in his pants? Would strip search be okay then, or should school just let it go and hope nothing happens?

Darrell, I'd like to think that a gun could be found by doing a 'frisk' without requiring the kid to strip to undies, and shake out their underwear in front of how many people. To me, that is the telling difference. And if they even suspected that a kid had a gun, the very first 2 things they should do is call the police and call the parents, not take it upon themselves to investigate.

This case has been running ON & ON for over 5 EFFEN years!

WTF is wrong with our country, do lawyers run it?

Absolutely a Total Waste of money and time. Most defendants can NEVER get their court cost back either! And that's one of the Worst aspects of this BS EFFEN case!

I don't think a strip search is ok by a school official--whether the tip said the kid had a gun, knife, crack, meth or anything else. Separate the kid from the other kids. Put him in an office alone to wait for the parents and the cops. The school officials job is to teach not to police.

WEll, darrell, let me ask YOU a question. Do you think people should be strip searched based only on someone's say so? Let's pretend I live in your neighborhood. Can I call the police and tell them you have a bomb in your underwear? Would you rather police ask questions and try to figure out why and how someone suspects you of this, or would you rather they drag you downtown and strip search you at whim?

Shan-man, if something were missing where you work and the company wanted to strip search, I guess you would drop 'em for all to see??? Since this is a trival incident, right??? It being a BS EFFEN case!!!

Gene; What???? I'm guessing that you meant to say TRIVIAL there as well, but I still cannot figure out why you came to that conclusion.

I would not ALLOW ANYONE to strip search me without a fight. Whether it be by a co-worker, school official or Police officer.....I would NOT ALLOW it! Take me to jail & Prove that I have what someone says that I do!

What I said was, someone forced this girl and/or her whole family to defend themselves against an accusation.

A strip search was TOTALLY un-called for!

She will NEVER get those years or her money back from lawyers and prosecutors that FORCED her to prove her INNOCENSE in court

Back-A$$ward EFFEN country we live in!

INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY, EFFERS!

darrell-473614, they should have at least called the parents and or the police before engaging in an illegal search. To many people in administrative positions think they have to power to do what ever they please. There's a right way and a wrong way to accomplish the same goal.....Wilson took the wrong approach and should pay restitution to the girl.

Darrell ifshe was patted down and they couldn't find a .357 under her jeans I would say they missed Search For Evidence 101. As it stood she had NO drugs on her and there was no admissible evidence that she did. The heresay of a third party wouldn't hold water in a monsoon in court

Wow really? Guess what dude my child is a good kid. No blinders on, I know his faults but can tell you yes he is a good kid. Believe it or not there are more good kids out there then bad ones. Even this poor girl stripped search is probably a good kid. They were searching for asprin you moron. Even if she had it doesnt make her a some criminal. Totally ridiculas. Here is the thing they did the search based on a kids accusation, scary they would find that reliable. Amazing that there are people out there that don't think kids have the same rights as adults, if this story was at a work place you would never agree is okay to have boss strip search.

Shan-Man....

You are right. The reason these cases run so long ( I've been a part of one ) is that the minute the offended party hires a lawyer, the school system turns the entire matter over to their insurance company and washes their hands of everything. The team of insurance lawyers delay and delay the case for years if they can, to try to bleed the victims' parents dry of funds. The more delays...the more lawyers' bills get sent to the parents. These scummy insurance lawyers know this well.

The town and taxpayers where the school is located don't really happen to care anymore, because even if there is a large cash settlement, the insurance company pays the tab...the school and the taxpayers don't have to cough up a dime.

Local residents don't dare speak out against the school administrators because they are afraid that if they do, their own children will be targeted by school officials, most of whom basically just care about themselves.

And nobody gives a hoot about the children except for their parents.

We have allowed school systems to have far too much power and control...it is supposed to be the parents and taxpayers who demand how their towns' schools are run and thru the years we have allowed these people to ignore any voices of right or reason.

I'll bet the administrator in this case not only doesn't get reprimanded or fired, but rather gets a raise and a contract extention or a transfer to a more high-paying job within the school system. And the local school superintendent will tell the town that while the court has rendered it's decision, the administration doesn't feel that anything was done incorrectly and that now it is "time to move on".

And that's the way it is.

AND nobody is there to protect the family from going bankrupt while defending their innocense!

It BULL@!$%#!

Is it so hard to understand why some people CRACK and go on a rampage?!

They should NEVER have been subjected to this! Someone owes them big-time!

If it were me, and I already have had just about everything drained, I would take action...lawfully or Not..PROBABLY NOT! Send me to jail! At least my family would have 30% less food to buy while I workout and get more pissed off at a system that's letting US ALL DOWN!

When I get out, I can "TEACH" others!!!!!!!!!! Pow! WHAM! SMASH!

That church in Connecticut which is the expert at exorcisms needs to have a "pedophile exorcism" on this principle real soon!

They were definitely wrong for doing the search. They needed to call in the parents and police. If the parents refused to let the police (a female officer) search, then expel the child.

With that said, now a days; versus when you went to school or were growing up:

* How many of you parents know about your children having sex with each other at age 10 and up.

* How many of you parents actually KNOW your children and are TRULY raising versus using the school as a babysitter. While both parents are working to barely make a living (due to screwed up economy).

"The real unemployment rate? Try 15.6%" http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/learn-how-to-invest/The-real-unemployment-rate.aspx

So, actual unemployment number: 11 to 13% unemployment x (times) .38 for those that whose Unemployment has run out, or stopped looking for nonexistent employment (jobs, work); this number added to the 11 to 13% unemployment equals the actual unemployment.

11 x .38 = 4.18 + 11 = 15.18 percent unemployment.

13 x. 38 = 4.94 + 13 = 17.94 percent unemployment.

* How many of you parents have checked around the house to see if things are being "huffed" or "inhaled".

* Do your children have a key to the booze cabinet. Taste a little watered down? Well, at least they did not put poisonous isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) in to make up the difference for what they drank.

* Have you checked their cellular telephone to see if they are sexting(sex texting) naked photos of themselves. Ever saw the "beat down" (fight) videos on the internet (look at the ages, stupid enough to video (with cellular telephone camera) a crime (assault)).

* Have you checked their computer lately, blogs, my space, face book, etc.. An absence of anything is also an indicator, since they are smart enough to erase their tracks. Just hope your innocent child isn't "hooking up" with a pervert.

* Do their breaths always smell minty, well, guess what. Smoking cigarettes, grass or crack (the age that children are doing this is getting lower, ask Law Enforcement).

Peer pressure is pretty powerful, think about when you tried your first cigarette and who pressured you to do so.

How do you think that the Tobacco Law got passed, it emphasized "marketing to teens". The Media downplayed the increased Tobacco Products Taxation that is part of this Act. Especially, since Congress does not want to put up with the outcry of Taxation without Representation (users of products), British Stamp Act (reason for War of Independence, "American Revolution"), Boston Tea Party (eventually leading to the British seizing Armories (making the "organized militia" useless) and the Boston Massacre, Lexington and Concord (fought by the Minutemen, when the church bells rang all the farmers, shopkeepers, etc. came running to fight the British; not the "organized Militia" as they were being hunted as Traitors to the British Crown (Government, General Cornwallis, and Henry Clinton (ancestor of former President Clinton). This eventually, lead to the 2nd Amendment per US Supreme Court (reason to strike down the D.C. Anti Gun Laws as Un Constitutional).

* Do you still have all the pills in your medicine cabinet. If you are finding one or two out of each bottle missing; you have a problem.

* Are your children demanding money to buy things, that you never see (like clothes), and using it for "other" purposes (buying the things above from their "friends").

* Have you ever found a single edge razor blade wrapped in cardboard and tape or box cutter in their clothes (usually stolen from stores, as to why many stores are placing them behind cashiers). Note: be really carefully checking for this because it can chop off a finger or two. Sometimes in the seams or folds of clothes.

Before you do the Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil, monkey thing about your "innocent" children; for their sake, do check on some of the things above. It is not always, "the other kid".

Pertaining to the (incomplete) content of the article:

How do they know it was "prescription-strength ibuprofen." Unless: One, the accuser knew what it was; two, it was given to the school administration by the accuser after being given to them by the girl ; three, it was found somewhere else (dumped, ditched); four, have they ever caught her before or anyone else.

"The case is Safford Unified School District v. April Redding, 08-479." meaning that all of us taxpayers are going to pay for this, just like we are all paying for the education of ILLEGAL Immigrants, since the defeat of California Proposition 187. Of course the alternative is to close the school and use the money for any monetary awards.

Cause:

Proposition 187 demanded to be ruled Unconstitutional by a Federal Court for Political reasons by Democratic Party and Joseph Graham "Gray" Davis Jr during Election (became Governor of California on this Democratic Party Platform). Or this would have remained a matter of "State's Rights" as the California Voters, majority voted for Proposition 187, 58% - 59%.

Proposition 187- Among the provisions of the law was a ban on illegal immigrants receiving non-emergency medical care, public education, and many other social benefits ("welfare", public housing assistance, unemployment, etc.)(all paid for by our State and Federal Income Taxes). The law also required local law enforcement officials to turn suspected illegal immigrants over to the INS, and required public employees, including teachers, to report suspected illegal immigrants.

Result:

California Bankrupt.

"Budget crisis forces deep cuts at Calif. schools" http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31475787/ns/us_news-education/

And a Legal Precedent, unless the Federal Ruling is overturned.

And thanks to the (State Government, Teachers, etc.) Unions nothing will happen to those responsible. Sorry that is just the way it is. Saw this myself when the State Government Union and Teachers Union hired $50,000 Attorneys (more than one) to defend someone (Conspiracy to Commit Fraud, Fraud Against the US Government, Theft, Morality (lack of, In Contract, as a bad example for children), and they still work as Elementary School Administrators/Teachers (boyfriend and girlfriend (married to someone else)(they continually got caught (seen by students) on school grounds having sex, until she got pregnant). This case went on from 1989 to 2008, until the Prosecutor changed, it was "plea bargained". And yes, all this time this was directly and indirectly being paid by the taxpayers: Administrators/Teachers paid by City/State (Taxpayer Revenues) pay Union Dues, Union pays Defense Attorneys, Courts paid by Taxpayers. The husband of the Elementary School Administrator/Teacher (pregnant by other Administrator/Teacher) got a divorce, with the Judge being a member of the State Employees Union, awarding everything to the ex wife (again defended by Union Appointed Attorneys $50,000-$100,000 each, was whole Law Firm), leaving the husband with only clothes on back. Sarcastically, this is they type of examples are Administering/Teaching your children.

If you do not believe this happens:

"700 NYC teachers paid to do nothing
Accused of misconduct, taxpayers foot bill at cost of $65 million a year"

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31494936/ns/us_news-education/page/2/

What could you do with $65 Million Dollars per year? Figure that is only one of fifty States, and add a couple of Territories and Washington D.C. (District of Columbia). So what could you do with a few Billion Dollars per year?

To all that believe in "Rights", what about your own?:

First Act signed, to reenact (reactivate), Patriot Act(s), January 2009 after Inauguration.

2009, Amendments to the Insurrection Act. This allows the formation of US NORTHCOM, use of US Military including Deadly Force against US Citizens within the US in disasters, domestic civil disturbances, etc.. US Military that fail to follow orders, can be summarily executed (shot on spot) under UCMJ, during War. Currently the US is "at War" ("War on Terrorism"), with the family, friends, relatives, etc. used as leverage (detention, questioning, interrogations, watchlists, blacklists, etc. as possible "conspirators" to Treason).

Previous Administration (Bush) got rid of this, 2008, as a violation of Posse Comitatus Act; reinstituted by current Administration, 2009. The justification was after Hurricane Katrina, with US Contractor Security Services, State National Guard augmented by US Military (since most State National Guard were gone (evacuated with families) or ineffective (wiped out by Hurricane)), shooting US Citizens (many looters, or committing crimes, including local Law Enforcement) including shooting those with guns protecting themselves, their families, their homes and property.

Control, monitoring, censorship of the Internet. March 2009, H.R. 1955 and S.1959. "Homegrown Domestic Terrorist Act", aka "Big Brother Act", "1984" (George Orwell Book)(actually started in Feb 2009 when youtube was threatened under provisions). This also labels US Citizens that advocate a "radical change to (US) Government" as "Homegrown Domestic Terrorists". Due to the vagueness of this Act, "radical" can mean any change to US Government as usual.

Also authorized, Homeland Security (same name as NAZI Germany pre WWII and during WWII Internal Security) watchlists with coding of SSSS. Indefinite Detention, under Contempt of Court, if you refuse to answer questions, if they obtain a Court Order (which they will).

Again, They were definitely wrong for doing the search. They needed to call in the parents and police. If the parents refused to let the police (a female officer) search, then expel the child.

However, look at everything. Cause + Effects = Results. Everything has consequences (repercussions) whether you want to see them or not.

I am awfully glad that the court ruled against the school in this case. A school should never be the scene of a strip search-- especially on a third party rumor. Call the parent's first, and if you think it is illegal, (not over-the-counter) drugs, call the police. Children have rights, too!

If someone stuffed an advil into a private part, I can't imagine anyone would want to take it anyway. Makes no sense to me! EW!

A vast majority of our kids are good kids-- And a vast majority of our school prinicipals are decent people. This guy sounds like a guy on a power trip.

Best of luck to the young woman!

Its all part of the DEMOCRATICREPUBLICAN partys plan to get our kids used to a police state!!

Shan-man, my humble apology. I assumed something else from your post. We are in agreement that this should not have taken place. Again please accept my apology.

What's sick is that Clarence Thomas felt the search was legal! What is he really thinking? I bet Hitler would have been proud of his a--! To subject any child to that simply because another child claims it is wrong. There should have been more questions asked and a definite need for this action, far from ibuprofen and another kids allegations. This is what parents are for. Have a school official notify the parent or bring the parent to the school and have them present when conducting any type of strip search. The kids are in a controlled environment and somebody can be put in place to watch them until the parent arrives. But to embarass a child like that, only to find out she was innocent?!?!?

from boons_orama - WEll, darrell, let me ask YOU a question. Do you think people should be strip searched based only on someone's say so? Let's pretend I live in your neighborhood. Can I call the police and tell them you have a bomb in your underwear? Would you rather police ask questions and try to figure out why and how someone suspects you of this, or would you rather they drag you downtown and strip search you at whim?

I actually agree with you, boons. I think more than just hearsay from another student, or another person shouldn't constitue grounds for a strip search. My point though was school officials between rock and hard place. If don't search, and someone actually had illegal drugs (whether prescription, otc, or whatever if against school policy, they are illegal), word gets out to other parents and complaints come in.

I think school needs to refine their procedure manual. Contact parents, then police if gets to that point based on circumstances. But as described in several other posts, contacting many parents is waste of time, since they feel their kids never do anything wrong and it had to be fault of adiministration or other students.

Wow the supreme court has the time for this kind of rulings, yet cant review the blatant law-breaking being done by the current "regime" in wash., IE'; Firing Walpin for doing his job, hiring "czars" to bypass the constitutional rights of the people to make the gov report to congress, the non-action taken about the proven election fraud and embezzlement of taxpayers dollars in ACORN, or the illegal action of the dems not allowing congress the proper time to study bills before tham to vote on, like the adding of 300 pages of the cap and trade bill being thrown at them 90 mins before the vote?

WAKE UP AMERICA!

Lets not confuse common sense with artificial intelligence here please? Bottom line is that this is an assinine topic when our constiturional rights are being trampled upon more and more every day. I dont think it should be called party bashing when a person speaks out against corrupt gov either, makes no diff. to me what party is doing the illegal acts, its still illegal and I feel the current gov. , is overstepping their boundaries and authority to the point of treason. The supreme courts time should be put towards to doing the job that the constitution empowers them to do, protect the people from a gov that is self-serving and/or corrupt! When we pay an extra 3000-4000 a year for electricity ( it is a tax, no matter how they try to say it isnt), and you try to scrape enough money up to pay for it, wonder how many of you will still be so "proud" of this petty ruling? Dont get me wrong, what they did was wrong, I just feel it didnt need to be before the supreme court at a time when we are going broke, losing jobs, and the gov just keeps getting bigger and spending money that our children and their children will have to pay for for decades to come.

You don't think addressing if it is appropriate to strip search our kids because of zero-tolerance policies is important?

She was accused of having ibuprofin and they still did it. To me that is VERY significant.

Yeah your right we are losing rights, and many of them are because of the war on drugs. Wake up man! Had she been accussed of having pot they probably would of said it was ok. Yea we are in trouble, no doubt.

Government corruption is in both parties guy.

Strip searching a kid for Advil? The moron who did this should be in prison at best.

Exactly. Only female police officers should be allowed to strip search a kid. If the school officials think they have enough evidence for a strip search, they need to put their big hairy kahunas on the line and be willing to risk embassarrassment by calling a 3rd party, like the city or country police, before strip searching kids for Advil.

Unbelievable Gestapo BS.

even if it were a female officer she should also have a warrant

Ok...what do you mean by all this? It's jibberish! Please, explain your comment...

Gee I think it is quite straight forward. I believe that as a nation we have begun to take a nose dive. Our freedoms are going out of the door everyday and as a people we have become divided to the point of self destruction. Something like this gives me some hope that there might still be a chance for us. I am sorry it was gibberish to you but maybe a simpler language will help you understand. Or, maybe this, Our country, yours and mine is going to hell in a hand basket unless we stop party bashing and do something about it.

Is that simple enough for you????

It's a good thought, luvenia. But, somehow, I doubt it.

luvenia,
I understood you. I think common sense confuses people if they have never been exposed to it.

darrell: most schools (a lot?) have metal detectors so you could just make him walk through it. Or call the police to bring the metal detecting wand.

luvenia - your original post was quite clear and understandable, not to mention 100% correct.

jeesus? And just who do you think should pay for this lawsuit? Oh thats right the working man should pay for it, along with paying for illegals medical, welfare , and the assinine gov that voted themselves another big raise while the rest of us have lost jobs, and homes. Throw in the paying for freeloaders who choose not to work for a living, and the working man is just about broke. Lets throw in there the fact that SSI has been raped down to a zero balance/ actually in the red,and the money I paid into for 30 years has basically disappeared, and I feel the idea of paying this lawsuit makes me sick! After all its the TAXPAYERS who would pay this money and for what? Oh let me guess? Her feelings are hurt? Or her mother wants money for nothing? hmm maybe shes( the mother) too old to have more babies for a bigger check so she has to get her "free" money from somewhere right? lol

You are assuming these people collect welfare. Did it say that?

I guess if your kid gets stripped searched and you are pissed that means you want free money and just are looking to get by on the government right?

Her feelings are hurt? Or her mother wants money for nothing? hmm maybe shes( the mother) too old to have more babies for a bigger check so she has to get her "free" money from somewhere right?

That shows where your moral compass lies. With the dogs.

Brilliant!!! How do you think it got to the SC???

steve, rightfully so, there s/b a punitive lawsuit over this..they made her disrobe naked and then shakes her panties..this is going to far, people's freedom is being violated here, every minute everyday..the trauma this girl has to live with her for the rest of life is ghastly..all because of a snitch/ informant that just wanted to hurt her..he s/b arrested for making false statements..injustices terrify the roots of Liberty, sensibility is not heard of anymore..what a disgusting happening here..had they done that to my daughter, I 'd be furious..no telling what I'd do..grandmother was right, she use to say..the more educated they get, and the smarter they get..the more dumb and vicious they become..well to the World of Educated Evil...there out there, sneaking ways to keep us all broke, then taking our personal Liberties...This is OUTRAGEOUS !!.....I'm still mad about not getting my stimulus..they promise you it, then they change the Rules on you..this is terrible, this is this current Educated Administration..a bunch of False Promises..

We will have to wait for a ruling from the lower courts about whether or not they are allowed to sue the school district. I personally feel that is a no-brainer, since the search was illegal, there should be some sort of compensation for it. But we will see.

The SCOTUS has granted school officials immunity from civil liability. Wouldn't the school district be included in this immunity?

G Scott, if they have given school officials immunity from civil liability they had better change the laws. Just because they're school administrators doesn't mean they are above the law but apparently the courts think so. That's not right!

G Scott-373449 - The SCOTUS has granted school officials immunity from civil liability. Wouldn't the school district be included in this immunity?

maddog-752810 - G Scott, if they have given school officials immunity from civil liability they had better change the laws. Just because they're school administrators doesn't mean they are above the law but apparently the courts think so. That's not right!

Don't worry the Unions will make sure nothing happens to the school administrators. See post#2.18. Paragraph starting, "And thanks to the (State Government, Teachers, etc.) Unions nothing will happen to those responsible."

Sarcastically, best "Justice" that money can buy.

On the subject of immunity from personal liability for the individual school officials, the Court can legitimately immunize those individuals if: (1) the officials acted in reasonable reliance upon their understanding of the law of search and seizure, or in reasonable reliance upon the advice of legal counsel; (2) the law was unclear, unsettled, or varied from jurisdiction to jurisdiction; and (3) they acted in their official capacities and in furtherance of their official duties. This has nothing to do with the teachers' and administrators' associations or unions; it is in accordance with established principles of sovereign immunity for government officials who act pursuant to their official duties.

Because the Court found that the state of the law regarding school strip searches was unsettled, a 7-2 majority (Stephens and Bader Ginsburg dissenting) agreed that the school officials should not be held liable for their poor and incorrect judgment. (Two of the Court's more liberal justices agreed with so many of you commenters here that the vice principal's actions were so egregious and unreasonable that the veil of personal immunity should be lifted.) So, if the unconstitutionality of the strip search had been settled previously by the lower courts, or if the vice principal had acted without justification or had singled out the student for the strip search for his own reasons, then personal liability would have attached.

Note that now that the Supreme Court has ruled on the constitutionality of student strip searches under similar circumstances, however, there will be no immunity for school officials who pursue the same course of action under similar circumstances in the future. The Court has in no way declared open season on students for strip searches.

The bigger question is: why does prescription strength ibuprofen even exist? We are hearing about all the the increase in health care costs. Why can't a doctor just tell you to go buy some Advil over the counter and take two? Are people too dumb to do that? They have to have a pharmacist fill a prescription? What a waste of time and money. How much does it cost to buy prescription Ibuprofen? Is the cost passed on to the insurance companies? Or the government? I can buy a whole bottle of aspirin for 99 cents down the street. Generic Ibuprofen over the counter couldn't be much more. It is probably a buck fifty at Wal Mart. I think a lot of pharmacies have minimum charges for filling a prescription - $5, $10 - money completely pissed away. Ridiculous.

And to lump Ibuprofen in with "drugs" is the idiot "war on drugs" gone awry. Stupid people.

Quite frankly, this is child molestation. This is especially horrific for a teenager.

When I was in High school (back in the early 60s) we were required to swim naked during PE classes. In fact, all YMCAs in Chicago banned bathing suits for all children under 18. It was extremely embarrassing and many kids opted to get out of it either by getting a note from their doctor or be substituting ROTC for PE. I was in the ROTC band so was able to avoid naked swimming after my first semester. Looking back, however, I wish I could have benefited from the many positive aspects of PE.

A strip search for Ibuprofen? Give me a break. This is sick.

Naked swimming? WTF? Ridiculous!!

Amazing, isn't it? But true, sadly!

What high school did you go to???? Is it still open??? If so, I'll be sure not to enroll my kids there.

I went to Hyde Park High school on Chicago's south side. This policy was long ago changed. I'm not sure when that happened; but remember, this was back in the early 60s. They believed it wasn't sanitary to wear bathing suits. (Right!) Boys and girls had separate PE classes and I believe girls were allowed to wear bathing suits.

I do remember at the time that my father mentioned naked swimming was required at YMCAs when he was a kid. As disgusting as it seems now, this was pretty much taken for granted back then.

People "NEED" to have "REAL" medicine. They do not want to go to the doctor then have to admit they bought something they could have without going.

If people would accept over-the-counter medications about 80-85% of doctor visits would not occur.

lorent, the pharmaceutical companies are behind these changes to the law. They want quite a few regulations changed so even the most basic drugs like aspirins, vitamins and suppliments are all prescription drugs and, of course, more expensive. We are giving our country away to corporate america folks, wake up.

Sheila, I agree with you..THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS !!.....

Jeeesus

how do you bring the stimulus package and this adminstration into this blog, it has nothing to do with politics, Ohh your one of the paid Republican Party bloggers. We have caught onto you guys, and its sad, sad, sad.

Concerned, I'm really sorry that you're Not Concerned..please reverberate your statement re; this administration into this blog..this says it all, take it from there..absconding on promises, is very under handed..and that has caused harm to many Americans..despite party affiliation...

TO lorent, It is called prescription strength it  does not require a script and can be purchased w/out a script. So don't worry no doctor got an office visit fee (God forbid, the docs gets  pd  to see  you , everyone acts like docs don't need their money, far from the truth, but that is a whole other topic for discussion). So it looks like you're the one who is out of the loop and doesn't understand what this medication is, yet you go on ranting and calling everyone stupid and greedy,  remember people who live in glass houses.................

For a 13 year old child to be sexually assaulted by school officials looking for "advil" shows the ridiculous nature of the war on drugs and the continued erosion of our constitutionally protected inherent rights. I question where under Federal Civil Rights Laws is this sexual predator Wilson immune from lawsuit?

There was a case in NJ a few years back where a KINDERGARTENER was suspended for pointing his finger at another kid and saying "Bang." Isn't political correctness wonderful?

I.M.Curious...

Incorrect. School systems will always know that they will never answer to anyone at all. An occasional courtroom loss means nothing. We gave them all this power thru the years and they have a bullet proof system to protect themselves from any responsibity.

tony-268769 - School Systems

Try Unions. example: City or State Government Employees Union (Administrators, Court Employees, Judges, etc.), Teachers Union(s) (Teachers).

What the heck are you talking about?! There were no law enforcement officers involved in this case; it was a nurse and vice principal who did the search! Don't let your bias against our public servants cloud your judgement, because instead of making your point, you just sound like an idiot.

If that's your attitude about all police officers, Brad, then I guess that you think that the school officials should have conducted the strip search themselves, as they did, instead of calling the "bullies with badges" to deal with the situation.

We are all paying for this with our tax dollars. See post #2.18

The problem is the fact that she had the medicine. You are not allowed to carry meds on you in school. If you need to take medication during shool hours parents have to give the meds to a nurse and then they administer it to the student. Thats how it was done in my school. Its good on the school's part to control the flow of drugs but it was still wrong on what they did. They should of called the girl's parents and then take it from there.

Snake, no pills were ever found in the girl's possession.

Just so some of you who seem clueless understand,Motrin,known as Advil and other over the counter names,is simply an anti infamatory and pain medication,it does not get you high,regardless of how much you take.If you take 4 Advil 200MG capsules from an over the counter bottle,that equals one 800MG prescription Motrin.To make it even simpler for some of you,it's like taking four aspirins for a headache instead of one.

Me-1176621

I know, im not talking about her specifically, my mistake on the first sentence. Im talking about any student in general that brings prescribed or OTC medication.

I.M.Curious - Just so some of you who seem clueless understand,Motrin,known as Advil and other over the counter names,is simply an anti infamatory and pain medication,it does not get you high,regardless of how much you take.

Here is a trick for you: Grind it up or smash them in a plastic bag, and snort the powder. NOTE: Don't blame me if you get "high", drop dead or require emergency medical treatment. I caught some kids across the street doing this (at first I thought they were drunk).

Also dosage is based on body density, and weight. So 4 doses for you might be perfectly fine; but, may be harmful for someone else.

Forgot the ages of the kids, about ages 9-15. I did not ask their ages. I just told them that I was calling the cops. And with red eyes (took a picture of them with camera at max zoom, daytime no flash, so the camera did not cause the "red eyes"), running noses, they staggered away before the Police arrived.

What made me wonder what was going on was them jumping up and down on plastic bags on the concrete sidewalk or hitting the plastic bags with the neighbors rocks. Then putting the plastic bags to their faces and inhaling.

Before anyone says anything. This is the suburbs, + Million USD homes. And some of the parents are those $50,000 - $100,000 Lawyers I mentioned in post #2.18.. And after I called the Police and filed a Police report, I got a visit by some of their parents threatening to sue me (I don't know on what grounds); before, I got deployed to Afghanistan (again).

I showed them the pictures, and all they could say was, "not my child".

So how did you know what was in the bag?

The Police caught them (based on the pictures I gave them) and told me later. That the "kids" were taking their parents medications from home.

They (Police) also indicated that they have been being called to the Elementary School more often because of this (about one street away, less than 10 minute walk).

Note: The Police at first did not want to do anything (my word against someone elses) until I showed them all the pictures.

I was thinking about getting a video camcorder after I get back from Afghanistan. So that I could post on youtube, that and the other thing that they do to get "drunk" by spraying Lysol (bright yellow can, Lysol in blue letters) into their hands and placing their hands over their nose and mouth and inhaling.

That would take thinking, schools now days are not set up for it.

I apologize to any of you teachers that I may have offended as there are still some of you that by definition are still "teachers".

The problem lies in administration not just in schools but all facets of our lives...pick a subject like business, FDA, SC, government. We have all seen the best intentions of the individual superseded by an organization.

Zero tolerance is made so that people don't have to take responsibility for making a decision.

Zero tolerance is the best friend of the incompetent.

You are exactly right. When boards adopt such policies, then they have to be enforced rigorously or the boards will get caught in the crossfire of lawsuits over why it was enforced in one case but not in another. However, as this case proves, strict enforcement results in foreseeably ridiculous and untenable applications of the policy. Those who propose policies (on anything--drugs, dress codes vs. uniforms, "touching," weapons, etc.) and the boards who consider them really must consider the potential for reductio ad absurdam situations like this one. What was no doubt a well-intentioned policy when it started out has been effectively rendered null and void. Creating a system-wide, formalized, it'll-look-good-to-the-public policy to address these things seldom works out as intended. (I have similar feelings about the new rush to pass "no texting/cell phoning while driving" laws. They sound good, and yes, those things are problems. But how in the world are they to be enforced effectively and equitably? Failure to enforce will only lead to greater disregard, as happens with so many other things, like, for instance, speed limits. Things such as phoning and texting can be addressed as factors contributing to the cause of traffic deaths, injuries, and property damage under current laws.)

Of all the comments this is the one I agree with most. Zero tolerance has definitely gotten out of hand. Tell me there were not kids in school that day with a pocket full of weed or worse; and they strip search a kid for an ibuprofen.

For those (or perhaps just Schnoo) who said something about the lib court... Wouldn't a conservative approve of this, doesn't it mean less government intrusion in their life??

The problem with the case-by-case basis is that the parents of the students who are really caught doing something bad always scream "favortism."

I'm not a fan of blanket directives, either, but those few nutjob parents (who are about 10% of the parental demographic) take up 90% of the time of teachers and administrators. More than once -- much more than once, in fact -- I have fervently wished that I knew the Vulcan neck pinch when dealing with these infuriating people.

Zero tolerance generally eqals zero need to make judgement calls.

Judgement calls are bad news for school officials, since they then may have to defend their actions to a parent outraged that THEIR child was punished, since little Johnny is an absolute angel and would NEVER have done what they were accused of .....blah, blah, blah. If you've worked with kids at any level, you've either had the above conversation, or you are about to. Then comes the lawsuit. Hence the desire of school officials to have absolute clear-cut policies.

This case, however, clearly illustrates that even this approach requires some thinking and application of common sense. Expedience for school officials SHOULD NOT trump the Constitution of the United States of America. I've told my kids (and our school board president) that my kid's constitutional rights don't stop at the school property line.

The school and the school board also, however, know that if my kids screw up, that I'm more likely to support a disciplinary action than to attack the school official. If I do get upset with the school (and I have) I let the officals know in a matter of fact way how I feel, knowing that voicing my opinion will have no "official" impact, but that it will indeed matter if the issue comes up.

My point? Involved parenting before and dialogue with the school before an incident occurs can have a huge impact on the potential outcome.

Do I think schools in general go too far in usurping parental functions and responsibilities? Yes. Because far too many parents have chosen to not actively parent their child, since (in the short term) it's easier that way.

Sad social commentary that the Court had to rule on this, but at least a modicum of common sense prevailed. Had common sense fully carried the day, the officials would have realized their actions were over the line, apologized and taken their lumps, just like they expect the kids they are teaching to do!!!

D Merriam -

My point? Involved parenting before and dialogue with the school before an incident occurs can have a huge impact on the potential outcome.

Do I think schools in general go too far in usurping parental functions and responsibilities? Yes. Because far too many parents have chosen to not actively parent their child, since (in the short term) it's easier that way.

Completely agree with this (second vote).

Ha! So true! Good point!

Umm... SurprisedAtFrank, that violation of her rights is actually a violation of the law.

The law says you can't do something, and that something is done -- it's semantically what violation means.

When it says you can't kill people, or force someone to give you money, or make them get nekkid for silly reasons, that's breaking the law. Normally the law gives two complete courses of remedy : civil and criminal.

The courts said that the officials could not be held liable but did not exclude the district. That's a clear indication that the law was broken.

Um, the Constitution is the Supreme Law of the land. So when an official violates a person's 4th Amendment right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure, that official has violated the law. Not all violations of the law are criminal violations subjecting the violator to prison time.

Isn't violating the Constitutional rights of a person a violation of Law??? Lots of people are in prison for Civil Rights violations.

huh?

My tax dollars should be going toward teaching writing,math,history etc. All those other things that you talk about should be taught at home. School system should not replace good parenting.

I agree schools teach more than the actual subject classes and maybe even need a dress code to prevent the outrageous, but what has that got to do with wearing jeans and a sweatshirt to a wedding or funeral(not that I have)? I think we have the right to our choice of attire as long as it doesn't involve indecent exposure. If you don't want jeans and sweatshirt at your wedding or funeral you better start making your own guestlist now.

As for the newsvine discussion, the school was wrong to strip search without calling in the parents to witness the procedure. I think most parents would at that point prevent the search. Especially for something like ibuprophen.

people wearing jeans and t-shirts to weddings and funerals isn't about what they learn in school, it's about the disrespect their parents allowed them to gain while under their raising....while i consider school uniforms to be a good idea the kids still get to choose what they wear at home based on their parents admission, for the most part. btw thank you rawdave, i'm in your position, if anyone touched my child without my permission they'd be in a world of hurt by my causing.....so whatever happened to the school administrator calling the girl's parents to ask them if they knew why their child had extra strength painkillers and what they were for? could have been the girl's "time of the month" regular painkillers don't do any good for any long amount of time for things like that....its a case of our school exacting authority while being extremely lazy at the same time...

Respect must be earned. I was taught that by my grandmother. Blind obedience turns us all into sheep. Always question athority. That's what makes us what we are in the USA!!!

I'm sorry, but you're an idiot. When I was her age I was getting my period, and would carry Ibuprofen or anything to calm the cramps because as a child even at such a young age my cramps were horrible! I could barely sit without constant discomfort. What a sin to be a woman and carry Ibuprofen! It's HARMLESS unless you take more than 1 800mg tablet at once. What those people did was wrong, talk about scaring the crap out of a young child.

But anyway, what does this have to do with wearing sweats and a pair of jeans to a wedding or funeral? If I don't respect that person I'm not going to take the time to get dressed up. Black is black....if I choose black jeans and a simple black top, woooo... I'm a bad girl.

lol I think I know the same coach you did, he also had a size 56 tennis shoe!

yeah that coach must sure get around...mine was a baseball coach and he swung that tennis shoe like a Nolan Ryan fast ball lol ;o)

It is never a wast of time when justice is sought after. One freedom or right lost is to many. The fact that this one case made it that far just might help protect other children from this kind of abuse. It is about time some of our tax dollars went for something we can believe in.

My point is that it should have been decided at the local level, the Principal fired and lawsuits on from there. The fact that there was any dispute between there and the SC is ludacris.

You are so right but maybe just maybe since it went all the way then more schools and other institutions will get the point. I am sorry if I misunderstood your post.

The true waste of time here is that the lower courts should have ruled long ago that this was an illegal search. This case should have never left the County where the incident occured.

The article said it was a prescription strength ibuprofen, there is no question she was violating school policy. The argument was over how the school reacted, a strip search was unreasonable as the SCOTUS said.

Call the parents or guardian, hell, call the police for that matter, but the school has no business strip searching a student. They could have held her in the administration office until the parents or proper authorities arrived to deal with the situation.

My guess is if they hadn't found the pill during the strip seach they would have waterboarded her to ascertain it's location...

They did not find any pills on Savana.

No, no medication was found on her.

These so called school officials are NOT the police nor do they have the right to strip search anyone. PERIOD.

They can call the police if they feel a child is an immediate threath to someone else. Or they can call the life squad if they feel a child is in immediate danger. THAT IS IT.

I believe you have to be formally charged with a crime to strip search at a police station. YOu are not subjected to this even when you are brought in for questioning. And in the case of a juvenile parents have to be present to do any invasive act.

I AM WITH YOU these blasted school officials have given "themselves" way to much power and as a parent I would have been in my rights to shoot them too.

He was right then and most certainly right now. I wish we had a way to put the Patriot Act on trial myself. What happened to this girl is going on all over America in a much more profound way. If most people understood this, we would be on the streets protesting like the people in Iran. Freedom once taken is hard to get back.

Do you recall reading the national poll results right after 9/11? Fully 72% (if I recall correctly) of those polled said they would be willing to give up some freedoms to feel safe. I would hope that they responded before thinking about what they were saying, but who knows.

Don't trust statistics and polls. The government and the corporations know how to slant those "measures" in order to make them say whatever they want. Plus, they ask questions in ways that there is only one rational answer (consider Lou Dobbs). In retrospect, many would answer the question differently, or question the question all together. But on the spur of the moment, there is only one seemingly right answer, and so the polls always say exactly what they want.

Consider this as well. CNN ran a report on the "new" dangers of cannabis. But the "new" danger is the same old drug war BS. All of the comments were by law enforcement supporters (does anyone question why law enforcement take such issue with this? They aren't law MAKERS, they are law ENFORCERS...). A statistic stated is that proof of the danger is the increase in treatment. But many states altered more draconian laws, offering "treatment" over jail. Which would you take? I predicted this result when "treatment" pleas became popular over the last several years.

The drug war isn't over. It just has a new face. It is a big scam that benefits the truly disgusting face of humanity (prisons, illegal weapons, gangs, crooked cops and officials). It has served to erode this nation, our trust in elected officials, and wholesale degradation of our Constitution. We the People cannot continue foward, because the people traded the classroom for the prison cell. Such a shame.

Ask yourself, if the drug war is such an American tradition, then why is not protection and application of the Constitution?

ohhnho,

The constitution provides equal protection under the law for all americans. Our system of government provides checks and balances to protect Americans from the tyranny of the majority. There are numerous instances in our history where the court has been forced to step in and stop tyranny supported by more than 72% of Americans.

You are exactly right. The Constitution is intended to protect the minority. But it is seldom used for that, rather, it is common for politicians to use that very document against the people for which it is for.

Civil rights never should have been an issue. Women's rights never should have been an issue. Church should not be in government. And gays and drug users never should have been persecuted in a country that has a document such as this. It benefits corporations more than it benefits me.

I agree with you... In theory only.

Unfortunately, once a government has taken away your rights, that government is usually reluctant to give those rights back.

And, are saying the school acted properly with a strip search?? That they didn't need to call her parents?? I realize that schools aren't the safest places in some areas of the country, maybe a lot of places. Where my grandson attends school, there have been very few, in fact rarely problems. Our schools either get the parents or police to handle serious problems. Schools can deal with this if they notify police or parents and stop trying to be police themselves. If the problem in a school is out of control than they need to maintain a security force, that is licensed.

Schools are supposed to train students for life in the world after school.

They are just being prepared. When they graduate, they will get a urinalysis for any government assistance or a job and will be searched when the government or their boss feels it necessary. Many will go to prison some time in their lives (the US, the candle of freedom, has the highest incarceration rate in the world --the whole world).

Doing this in school while they are young just prepares them and reinforces the fact that they have no rights or freedoms except for the ones that the power-greedy give to them.

Also I would like to add this. While the old dead white guys certainly said some cool stuff, Franklin and the like, remember those ideas and sentiments came from separation from a colonial system (not to say they aren't applicable today). But for an idea of where we are heading once this system collapses, the French Revolution would provide a more accurate model.

NO PILLS were found on the girl.

Sadly enough that you should think this treatment prepares children for the real life and to imagine that jail is in "many people's" future. I thought that sending a child to school prepares them for real life and keep them out of jail.....the good  moral lessons, the all-around knowledge base and great childhood experiences.

Parents do have a choice. If you feel your child is in an abusive school, rally your local government and get toget her with other parents to change it. School can really be a great experience, but it takes parents, aka taxpayers, involvement to get the ball rolling. Don't forget to let your children know how much you love them and support and believe in them. They can do it but not alone. There is so much parents can do just by speaking up . . .like this girl and her mother. If you are involved, chances are, the teachers will notice and respond better. I am so involved with my child's life that the teachers call me if they need to. Support your kids . . .

I support the majority decision. All they had to do was get a search warrant supported by probable cause. Exigent circumstances were absent in this case, since she was already detained in school.

As a gneral rule of thumb, all warrantless searches and seizures are unreasonable unless certain circumstances are present, such as life/safety, possible destruction of evidence, etc. I am not a doctor or a lawyer, but I am positive that Ibuprofen is not a controlled substance, although this was prescription grade. But she only had 2 pills.

It is extremely disturbing that there is a minority by the Supreme Court in this decision, this should have been a unanimous decision. The dissenting justices should go back to law school.

As disgusting and illegal as the behavior of these school officials was, it is sad but true that this probably does help prepare children for real life. Based on the fact that our country incarcerates a higher percentage of its citizens than any other nation (yes, including China, N. Korea, Iran, etc.), the fact is that jail is in many of our children's futures.

As a society, we have developed some very strange "family values" when it comes to our children. They are essentially the property of their parents, with limited rights, until they turn 18. When they are young and innocent, society values them and tries to protect them from all the sick predators out there. But when they are teens, society treats them as if they are already convicted felons -- as if they are all hiding something, up to no good or otherwise in need of a strip search or just a good-old self-esteem bashing. Then when they turn 18, they are magically expected to go on to college or the workforce as healthy, well-adjusted law-abiding and tax-paying adults.

Those of you who think this strip search was ok seem to have overlooked the lack of any evidence to provoke it, other than the accusation of another 13-year old, which for all anyone knows could've been a prank inspired by conflict over a boy, jealosy or any other silly reason you can imagine.

Would this search have been ok if the girl has been 12? How about 9? How about 5? How about 1 week before her 18th birthday, a week before she had the same legal rights as you or her parents or any of us? How would you like it, Mr or Ms 30-something or 40-something to have your privacy invaded like this simply because you were taking classes at an educational institution?

No matter, this generation of teens will have the last laugh. When they are voters and elected representatives and industry leaders, they will get to decide when their elders are too old to be useful in the workforce, or by how much their Social Security should be cut...and they will get to choose their parents' nursing homes.

DIA, if you are saying that they were right in strip searching this girl for what is the equivalent of advil you have some serious problems.