Legal Question in Education Law in Massachusetts

Legal for principal/dean/teachers/recource officer to search you in school?

Hi, I would like to know if it is legal for a school principle/vice principal/dean of students/teacher/or a resource police officer to search you in school? Also, to what extent, like can they make you remove your shoes or empty your pockets or pat you down? Do they need probable cause or a student saying you have something illegal? Thank you very much.


Asked on 9/30/06, 8:24 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

Maria Murber Law Offices of Maria Murber, PC

Re: Legal for principal/dean/teachers/recource officer to search you in school?

The answer is not simple, please consider the following and give us further information:

Was there a search?

Was there a seizure?

If there was neither probable cause nor reasonable suspicion, did the search come within a recognized exception?

Did the student consent?

Was it an administrative search?

Was the search incident to a lawful arrest?

Were there exigent circumstances?

Was teh object of the search in plan view?

Was the object of the search within plain feel?

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Answered on 10/01/06, 8:38 am


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