Search and Seizure in the Public Schools

Search and seizure in the public schools has long been a problem for both school authorities and law-enforcement officers. Students have also been known to have been deprived of their constitutional rights. Much of the problem stems from a lack of clarity in the application of the Fourth Amendment to the school setting. This monograph was written to provide a clear understanding of the standards presented by the Supreme Court in New Jersey v. T.L.O., as well as answers to the issues left unresolved by the decision. The monograph also suggests some practical ways of applying search and seizure law to situations in the school setting.