Searching of lockers by any education staff is not a pleasant experience for either party involved. In fact it would be one less item to think about if schools were to remove them. In today’s high technology driven world we may even be able to get rid of them all together. Just a thought on how to save money! No lockers? Some may still want them to store their personal items along with books (we are going to CD’s rather than books). This would also cut down on carrying the overstuffed backpacks, purses, and PE clothes that we may have to change into.
The reason we once felt safe about our children at the educational setting was because they were there to learn the curriculum, make friends, and eventually become productive individuals upon graduation. Today though there are concerns about student safety due to drugs, weapons, and bullying. The once safe school house is no longer as safe as it once was years ago. There are resource officers at most middle schools and high schools that are permanent fixtures which in my opinion is something that young adults should not be introduced to at this young an age. The times have changed and so has education, the teacher’s responsibilities-what they can and cannot do, and the students as a whole.
So should a teacher have the right to search a student’s locker at random without their acknowledgement? We have to look at the Fourth Amendment- which allows people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures. The question then needs to be asked, “Does the search and seizure restrictions apply in the public education environment”? This is an interesting question as we must delve deeper into the types of; or restrictions if any that may apply.
There have been numerous locker searches at the public school level that have come before a judge in the courtroom. The schools look at the possibility to search a student locker