The River Valley School District recognizes its responsibility to provide students and staff with a safe, drug-free environment that is conducive to learning. It also recognizes that students have basic constitutional rights that are not necessarily shed at the schoolhouse door.
It is the intent of this policy to establish guidelines for student searches.
A. Lockers and Vehicles
The River Valley School District expressly reserves the right to search lockers and vehicles parked on school property, with or without reasonable suspicion of a violation of the district's substance abuse policy, harmful equipment policy, other school policy, or state law.
The school board retains ownership and possessory control of all pupil lockers at all times and thus retains the right to conduct searches.
B. Personal Searches
Reasonable suspicion is required to search a specific individual. Random and/or blanket searches do not require reasonable suspicion. This search shall be conducted by a school administrator and at least one other person. Personal searches may include the use of a metal detector(s).
C. Strip Searches
Strip searches are not allowed under any circumstances.
D. Canine Searches
Searches by dogs specially trained to detect the odor of narcotics may be conducted by law enforcement officials on school grounds. These searches will be scheduled by school officials on a random, unannounced basis. Students face prosecution if narcotics are discovered. Lockers and vehicles parked on school property will be searched--the student's person and personal belongings carried by students will not be searched unless reasonable suspicion exists that a school policy or law has been violated. The canine searches may be conducted during school hours.
LEGAL REF.: Wisconsin Act 329 of July 1998
Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988
34 CFR Part 85, Subpart F (Regulations Implementing
Drug-Free Workplace Act)
CROSS REF.: Policy #443.3 - Drug and Alcohol Prohibitions
Policy #443.4 - Dangerous Weapons in the Schools
APPROVED: July 13, 1989
REVISED: May 8, 1997
APPROVED: June 12, 1997
REVISED: November 12, 1998
APPROVED: December 10, 1998
REVISED: December 14, 2006
APPROVED: January 11, 2007
REVISED: September 13, 2007
APPROVED: October 11, 2007
10/15/2007 pw