Lockers, which are not considered exclusive to student privacy and student vehicles on DHS property, can also be searched as stated in the student handbook.

DHS NEWS BRIEF: BACKPACK POLICY

by Priscilla Lombardi - 11/07
NEIRAD enilno edition

As the 2007-2008 school year hastily progresses, the administration has established several new policies in hope to ensure that student issues occurring last year in and around the DHS school building are solved.

The administration has recently set up these policies in order to maintain a secure environment during school and school related events. Ever since this school year began administrators have been seen searching through stray backpacks under, what the DHS student handbook states to be reasonable cause. As most may remember, many students last year had their personal belongings stolen, such as ipods, cell phones, or calculators, while others were unable to locate their stolen backpacks.
According to the administration, when students contacted them over a stolen personal item, there wasn’t much the administration could do, but this year this issue is expected to be solved. Mrs. Russo has, in the past, had various reports of stolen items and this year she has been trying to identify owners of backpacks of suspicious nature around the school building. It is no surprise that usually every year, administrators have seen backpacks, which contained drugs and alcohol and have identified the specific students who endured the consequences.

Lockers, which are not considered exclusive to student privacy and student vehicles on DHS property, can also be searched as stated in the student handbook.

“We can go into student’s lockers, we can go into backpacks, and we can go into cars which are still on campus if we have reasonable suspicion that something in there is of unsafe nature. Students are upset but we have that right to do it,” Russo states.
She points out in the student handbook that the search is necessary to maintain discipline, health, and safety, and the welfare of students.
Nevertheless, although the Search and Seizure Provisions in the student handbook references the Fourth Amendment, which states that “people have the right to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizers,” the Board of Education, who decides on DHS policies, also stated that the key word to the fourth amendment is unreasonable. This means that only when the administration believes it is reasonable, are they allowed to search such any type of personal item on DHS grounds.