Jacob Sullum at Hit & Run tries to ruin our day with this summary from a court brief:
Savana Redding, an eighth grade honor roll student at Safford Middle School in Tucson, Arizona, was pulled from class on October 8, 2003 by the school’s vice principal, Kerry Wilson. Earlier that day, Wilson had discovered [drugs] in the possession of Redding’s classmate….Under questioning and faced with punishment, the classmate claimed that Redding, who had no history of disciplinary problems or substance abuse, had given her the [drugs].
…
In the school nurse’s office, Redding was ordered to strip to her underwear. She was then commanded to pull her bra out and to the side, exposing her breasts, and to pull her underwear out at the crotch, exposing her pelvic area. The strip search failed to uncover any [drugs].
In a previous court proceeding, a three-judge panel ruled that the principal had reasonable grounds to believe that drugs would be discovered, and that the search was not excessively intrusive.
This was a 13-year old girl. In a letter to the East Arizona Courier, she says she’s been in therapy regarding the incident. Her description of the incident and its emotional aftermath sounds just like a rape victim.
If I asked a 13-year old girl to show me her breasts or her crotch, I’d probably be arrested, and rightly so. But these assholes force her to show herself, and nothing happens to them?
By the way, the drug in question? Prescription strength ibuprofen.
Anonymous says
Why not tell these people and organizations how you feel?
Vice Principal Kerry Wilson
Principal Robert Beeman
Superintendent Mark Tregaskes
Safford, Arizona Middle School
734 11Th Street
Safford, AZ 85546
Phone Number: (928) 348-7040
http://az.localschooldirectory.com/schools_info.php/school_id/3495
Jose says
Here’s the link to the school’s website:
http://tinyurl.com/6cko7r
Let them know that students are free individuals who don’t belong to the state. This is not a communist country. Not yet anyway.
John says
If we need to win the “War on Drugs”, by pulling the panties off of women & children, then we are in big trouble.
Wonder what would the three panel judges would have said if it had been 3 of their daughters or granddaughters??
I know what would have happened if that was my daughter…..consequences….SERIOUS consequences.
Mark Draughn says
Agreed. If we need to win the War on Drugs, by pulling the panties off of women & children, it’s not worth winning.
Ed says
Can someone do me a favor?
This abuse of a 13 yr old minor isn’t unique. MANY, MANY cases are similar.
This pattern is the same case after case, but we’ll use this one for an example.
Authorities get a ‘tip’ on drugs.
Like Savana’s case.
So they search her locker, find NOTHING.
Gather her belongings, and search her backpack, etc, and find NOTHING.
NOW authorities, get an inspiration, or according to the judges a “reasonable expectation”, that if they strip search her and remove her bra and panties, that THEN they will find contraband.
Pardon my French, but how the frick do they figure that!??!?!?!
So those judges are saying that if I accused them of selling drugs. That the police would search their lockers, their offices and their cars. And then police would STILL have a “reasonable expectation” that if they strip searched them and pulled their shorts off that they would find drugs???
Now for the favor….please email the Attorney General of the United States and see if we can get an answer from him.
Dept of Justice United States : [email protected]
John Markus says
yeah this justs shows how Fucked up our leagal system and how they get away with what they do. staff in schools think that the kids are items and they will respond how the staff want them to respond. there are few teachers with enough common sense to see that even as kids they are still human beings and Should be treated as one
amanda says
i dont think its ok if your 12 an have a headache dont get naked…….
amanda says
sorry i miss read the question i agree wit it if we need to win the war on drugs by pulling the panties off somoeone or telling them to strip,it wouldnt be worth winning*******$$$$$$$%%%%%%^^^^!!!!!))(((((()))))…
jamie says
sorry i miss read the question i agree wit it if we need to win the war on drugs by pulling the panties off somoeone or telling them to strip,it wouldnt be worth winning*******$$$$$$$%%%%%%^^^^!!!!!))(((((()))))…
Nic says
Two points here:
1. Well, the parents ask the school to control pupils very close on drugs.
This what you get with that mentality.
2.Stripping for the school nurse is no big deal, is it?
wtf says
wtf never do that
DAMN says
kool
ted409 says
she won her case by the way