What did the Supreme Court decide in 1985 about school searches?
Asked by: Pat Bailey | Last update: August 31, 2025Score: 4.8/5 (50 votes)
Decision: In 1985, the Supreme Court, by a 6-3 margin, ruled that New Jersey and the school had met a "reasonableness" standard for conducting such searches at school.
What did the Supreme Court decide in New Jersey v. TLO in 1985?
Justice Brennan, joined by Justice Marshall, agreed with the Court's finding that the Fourth Amendment applies to public school teachers and that school officials may generally search students without a warrant.
What did the Supreme Court decide about freedom of expression in the schools?
Reiterated students' right to free speech. The Supreme Court stated: “It can hardly be argued that either students or teachers shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.” It also emphasized that the freedom to protest does not create a freedom to disrupt.
What Supreme Court case set precedent for school search rights?
New Jersey v T. L. O. (1985) addresses the issue of whether a search by a school official is a "search" at all for Fourth Amendment purposes.
Why did the student claim a search of her purse violated her rights?
The student tried to have the evidence from her purse suppressed because the search was a violation of her Fourth Amendment rights. She contended that the mere possession of cigarettes was not a violation of school rules; therefore, a desire for evidence of smoking in the restroom did not justify the search.
Why the Principal Can Search Your Purse | New Jersey v. T. L. O.
Are random searches at school legal?
Can my school conduct a random search of students in my school? YES. But these random searches must be based on special, school-wide needs such as ensuring school safety and should be truly random. A random search cannot be used to target any individual student.
What did Terry claim violated the law?
He performed a pat down (also known as a “stop and frisk”) and found a pistol in Terry's overcoat pocket. The state charged Terry with carrying a concealed weapon. At his criminal trial, Terry claimed the search and seizure were unlawful. He moved to suppress the pistol as evidence under the exclusionary rule.
Can teachers legally confiscate your property?
Like searches, the seizure, or confiscation, of personal property is limited by the Fourth Amendment. Despite this, nearly every school has a policy of taking certain items belonging to students. Most commonly, this includes cell phones, but school have confiscated anything from stuffed animals to permanent markers.
Is it legal to search a minor without parental consent?
However, it is becoming increasingly susceptible to police searches. As a result of a recent decision handed down by the California Courts of Appeal, 1st District, police can legally search a minor's room without their consent as long as the minor's parents authorize the search.
Which Supreme Court case had the biggest influence on Education?
Brown v.
Wade. The full title of the case was 'Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka' and it was a case that changed access to education forever. In 1896, the Supreme Court ruled that it was legal for public schools and other public facilities to be racially segregated, provided the facilities were of equal quality.
Can my school restrict my speech or writing?
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution allows a school to limit free speech that (1) causes a “substantial disruption” at school (meaning it interrupts school activities in a serious way), or (2) interferes with the rights of others at the school.
What did the Supreme Court rule about separate schools?
On May 17, 1954, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren delivered the unanimous ruling in the landmark civil rights case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. State-sanctioned segregation of public schools was a violation of the 14th amendment and was therefore unconstitutional.
Do students have less rights in school?
The Supreme Court ruled in 1969 that students do not "shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate." This is true for other fundamental rights, as well.
Do schools violate the 4th amendment?
The Fourth Amendment applies to searches conducted by public school officials because “school officials act as representatives of the State, not merely as surrogates for the parents.” 350 However, “the school setting requires some easing of the restrictions to which searches by public authorities are ordinarily subject ...
What happened in Mapp v. Ohio?
Decision: The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a 5-3 vote in favor of Mapp. The high court said evidence seized unlawfully, without a search warrant, could not be used in criminal prosecutions in state courts.
Which was a finding by the Supreme Court in New Jersey v. TLO quizlet?
The New Jersey Supreme Court reversed, holding that the exclusionary rule of the Fourth Amendment applies to searches and seizures conducted by school officials in public schools.
Can parents search their child?
While parents are allowed to give every child as much privacy as they think is best, in legal terms, there is no law protecting a child's privacy.
Do minors have 4th Amendment rights?
v. California, 449 U.S. 1043, 1047 (U.S. 1980), Justice Marshall dissented in the court's rejection of a 13-year-old minor's petition seeking redress for the apprehension and questioning of a minor on instructions of the minor's mother, arguing against the notion that a parent could waive a constitutional right of a ...
Is it illegal for a teacher to say no to the bathroom?
Technically, yes, a teacher can deny a bathroom break, but this action must be within reason. In situations where a teacher consistently refuses bathroom access without valid justification, it may constitute a violation of student rights and potentially escalate to an abusive situation.
Can I refuse to give my teacher my phone?
YES. The privacy of your phone (or tablet or laptop), as well as your accounts with services like Instagram or Snapchat, is protected both by the United States and California Constitutions and by the California Electronic Communications Privacy Act (CalECPA)1.
Can teachers legally throw away your stuff?
If it really happened, that's not legal. I may hold a student's property until the end of the day if it causes a distraction, like a toy or whatever, but I don't have the right to keep or throw anything away, even dinky little toys. It's not my property. It's also wasteful and disrespectful.
What violates the 4th Amendment?
Illegal seizures are defined as taking someone's property without a warrant or reasonable suspicion. Using excessive force during a traffic stop to detain someone without probable cause can be a Fourth Amendment violation.
What happened in Tennessee V Garner?
Garner - The Fleeing Felon Rule. In Tennessee v. Garner, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a Tennessee statute that permitted police to use deadly force against a suspected felon fleeing arrest.
What happened in Minnesota vs. Dickerson?
The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously agreed that the cocaine in this case was inadmissible as evidence even though the Court held that officers were allowed to assume that an object was contraband through touch.