Jun 25th, 2009
Posted by Savana Redding at 2:20pm	Criminal Law Reform

Civics 101

Savana Redding and her mother, April, are plaintiffs in the case Safford Unified School District v. Redding, decided by the U.S. Supreme Court today. The Court ruled that school officials violated Savana's constitutional rights when they strip searched her based on a classmate's uncorroborated accusation that she previously possessed ibuprofen. Savana was 13-years-old at the time of the incident.

People of all ages expect to have the right to privacy in their homes, belongings, and most importantly, their persons. But for far too long, students have been losing these rights the moment they step foot onto public school property — a lesson I learned firsthand when I was strip-searched by school officials just because another student who was in trouble pointed the finger at me. I do not believe that school officials should be allowed to strip-search kids in school, ever. And though the U.S. Supreme Court did not go quite so far, it did rule that my constitutional rights were violated when I was strip-searched based on nothing more than a classmate's uncorroborated accusation that I had given her ibuprofen. I'm happy for the decision and hope it helps make sure that no other kids will have to experience what I went through.

Savana Redding

Strip searches are a traumatic intrusion of privacy. Forcing children to remove their clothes for bodily inspection is not a tool that school officials should have at their disposal. Yet, until today, the law was apparently unclear, potentially allowing for the most invasive of searches based on the least of suspicions. Everyday parents caution their children about the importance of not talking to strangers, looking both ways before crossing the street, and following directions at school. But I imagine they never think to warn them that a school official, acting on a hunch, may force them to take their clothes off in the name of safety. And now, thankfully, they won't have to.

Our fundamental rights are only as strong as the next generation believes them to be, and I am humbled to have had a part in preserving and promoting the Fourth Amendment to the Bill of Rights.

Permalink |	Criminal Law Reform

Tags: U.S. Supreme Court

1. Haniel Perigueux Says:
   Jun 25th, 2009 at 1:27pm

   They need to award you damages to such an extent that the pain and humiliation is felt by the school in a proper way. Unfortunately this did not happen. So without compensation, where is the justice?

   Authority only speaks one language anymore. Until monetary damages are awarded, this girl and other who have suffered the indignity have NOT been truly compensated.

2. Dan Canon Says:
   Jun 25th, 2009 at 4:26pm

   Yes, yes, yes! Congratulations and thank you on behalf of civil rights advocates everywhere.

3. Kat Says:
   Jun 25th, 2009 at 7:24pm

   Thank you so much for having the courage to stand up for all of us.

4. Stefan Muller Says:
   Jun 26th, 2009 at 1:03pm

   Congratulations on a long-deserved victory. This is a very important decision; thank you for bringing it onto a national stage.

   I represent the National Youth Rights Association (www.youthrights.org), a non-profit organization that strongly advocates for students' Constitutional rights. We joined with several other organizations to file a brief with the court in this case, and would be honored to have you on our side to fight for the rights of students in similar situations.

5. Paen Says:
   Jun 26th, 2009 at 1:36pm

   Good for you Savana.By standing up for your rights you helped to protect million of other people.I hope you are very,very proud of yourself.

6. Ryan Luchs Says:
   Jun 26th, 2009 at 7:30pm

   Miss Redding, I congratulate you for your hard-earned and well-deserved victory, and do hope you're reading these comments.

   Mr. Muller, I applaud your organization, which I have had the chance to take a look at, and hope you do succeed in your goals, as well as in getting a new member in Savana Redding.

7. ed Says:
   Jul 7th, 2009 at 10:53am

   Here is a very compelling, short video from a woman who was given an alternative to incarceration, and now is living a productive, clean life. Her prosecutor, Cy Vance, fought to keep her out of prison.

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpmI1RSmRaQ

8. shawn Says:
   Jul 17th, 2009 at 10:22pm

   ok i am sick of using logic and reasoning on you people are you retarded?? you want your child to be safe when they go to school yet no one can search their locker on a tip of drugs? yes even ibuprofen can be hazardous. its like saying a school cant search for a bomb on a bomb threat that isnt "verified" why take a chance. there are laws and rules made for a reason. not everyone is goin to abuse over the counter drugs. but it only takes one to ruin it for all.

9. Scott Says:
   Jul 20th, 2009 at 8:14pm

   Shawn,

   There is an important difference between searching lockers and strip-searching students. This difference really ought to be obvious. It is all the worse for the lack of evidence justifying the humiliating search.

   Also, is the assumption of innocence not an integral part of the American justice system? We shouldn't step back from that.

10. Lee Ann Says:
    Sep 8th, 2009 at 7:11pm

    Civil Liberties for all the babies killed every day by Abortion should be your biggest concern and yet you fail to take it on. Soo Sad that you don't know murder when you see it.

11. Jason Ulbright Says:
    Nov 30th, 2009 at 11:37pm

    Strip searching a 13 year old girl for ibuprofin...this country isn't going to hell, it is already there. Savanah, Civil liberties is now your sole duty in life, take this victory (sic) and run with it. Whatever support you need, we are all behind you 100%

Name

E-mail

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.

Homepage

• Allowed HTML tags: <a> <em> <strong> <cite> <code> <ul> <ol> <li> <dl> <dt> <dd>
• Lines and paragraphs break automatically.

More information about formatting options

CAPTCHA

This question is for testing whether you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

What code is in the image? *

Enter the characters shown in the image.