Jerome Joint School District No. 261

STUDENTS 3370

Searches and Seizure

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 Property and Equipment and 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, and parking lots), as well as personal effects left there by students, without notice or consent of the student. This applies to student vehicles parked on school property. Building principals may require each high school student, in return for the privilege of parking on school property, to consent in writing to school searches of his or her vehicle and personal effects therein, when reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing exists.

The Superintendent 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, and other illegal or dangerous substances or material, including searches conducted through the use of specially trained dogs.

Students

School authorities may search the student and/or the student’s personal effects in the student’s possession when there is reasonable suspicion for suspecting that the search will produce evidence the particular student has violated or is violating 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 age and sex of the student and the nature of the infraction.

Whenever practical, searches of a student shall be conducted by a staff member of that student’s gender. Any time a search of a student must be conducted, a second adult shall be present. Whenever practical, this second adult shall also be of the student’s gender.

Seizure of Property

If a search produces evidence that the student has violated or is violating either the law or the Districts 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.

Cross Reference: Student Vehicle Parking 3450

Policy History:     

Adopted on: 04/25/2009

Revised on: 03/15/2016

Revised on: 03/15/2022

Revised on: 12/16/2025