Policy 7:140
Search and Seizure
In order to maintain order and security in the schools, school authorities are
authorized to conduct reasonable searches of school property and equipment, as well as
of students and their personal effects. “School authorities” includes school liaison police
officers.
School Property and Equipment As Well As Personal Effects Left There By Students
School authorities may inspect and search school property and equipment owned or
controlled by the school (such as lockers, desks, electronic devices, and parking lots), as
well as personal effects left there by a student, without notice to or the consent of the
student. Students have no reasonable expectation of privacy in these places or areas or
in their personal effects left there.
The Superintendent or designee may request the assistance of law enforcement officials
to conduct inspections and searches of lockers, desks, parking lots, and other school
property and equipment for illegal drugs, weapons, or other illegal or dangerous
substances or materials, including searches conducted through the use of specially
trained dogs.
Students
School authorities may search a student and/or the student’s personal effects in the
student’s possession (such as purses, wallets, knapsacks, book bags, lunch boxes, etc.)
when there is a reasonable ground for suspecting that the search will produce evidence
the particular student has violated or is violating either the law or the District’s student
conduct rules. The search itself must be conducted in a manner that is reasonably
related to its objectives and not excessively intrusive in light of the student’s age and
gender, and the nature of the infraction.
When feasible, the search should be conducted as follows:
- Outside the view of others, including students,
- In the presence of a school administrator or adult witness, and
- By a certificated employee or liaison police officer of the same gender as the
student.
Immediately following a search, a written report shall be made by the school authority
who conducted the search, and given to the Superintendent.
Seizure of Property
If a search produces evidence that the student has violated or is violating either the law
or the District’s policies or rules, such evidence may be seized and impounded by school
authorities, and disciplinary action may be taken. When appropriate, such evidence
may be transferred to law enforcement authorities.
Notification Regarding Student Accounts or Profiles on Social Networking Websites
The Superintendent or designee shall notify students and their parents/guardians of
each of the following in accordance with the Right to Privacy in the School Setting Act,
105 ILCS 75/:
- School officials may not request or require a student or his or her
parent/guardian to provide a password or other related account information
to gain access to the student’s account or profile on a social networking
website.
- School officials may conduct an investigation or require a student to
cooperate in an investigation if there is specific information about activity on
the student’s account on a social networking website that violates a school
disciplinary rule or policy. In the course of an investigation, the student may
be required to share the content that is reported in order to allow school
officials to make a factual determination.
Adopted: March 16, 1998
Revised: February 27, 2017