Posted on 09/20/2006 5:14:15 AM PDT by Puppage
(New Haven-WTNH, Sept. 19, 2006 10:45 PM) _ A student's refusal to walk through a safety detector earns him a trip home.
For some the installation of metal detectors in schools is to better protect those inside.
One New Haven student is refusing to walk the walk, questioning whether his rights are being violated.
The district says it is like the right to enter a courtroom or get on a plane. It's new policy to keep young people safe.
For this New Haven student it's all about his fourth amendment right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures.
Nick Evans is getting a lesson in the legality of school policy.
The 16-year-old was sent home after refusing to walk through a metal detector and be searched as he entered Career High School.
"They haven't done this properly. There's not policy stating that I have to," says Evans.
The high school junior is challenging the New Haven District's recent decision to implement added security measures in the building last week.
"The handbook dictating district policy states they need reasonable grounds to search me."
No where in the handbook, he says, does it spell out anything about random searches or the use of metal detectors.
"I'd like to see them actually making this legal."
But a spokesperson for the District says the Superintendent has the right to make changes in what he considers to be emergency situations. The increased security comes after a violent summer in the Elm City and the deadly shootings of a 13-year old girl and boy.
"The Superintendent has the authority in the event of an emergency to enact directives and right here he believes it's important right now to expand what we are doing in terms of security for all students in the high school," says Susan Weisselberg, New Haven Public Schools.
The district admits it has no written policy on its latest measures but says that's about to change.
"We are adopting a formal policy. We will have the first reading by the Board of Ed Monday night," says Weisselberg.
For the schools, metal detectors and student searches are about keeping kids safe.
Nick Evans says he'll follow the policies as long as they are within the boundaries of the law.
"I would if it's a good sound legal policy. If they try to trample 4th amendments rights... ah getting shaky," says Evans.
Nick Evans says he will go to school tomorrow because he doesn't want to miss his classes, however he's plans to be vigilant in making sure the district follows through.
There is also no formal written policy for the use of metal detectors at Hill House or Wilbur Cross High School but the district says that will change too.
CT ping!
Ah, the stupidity of youth.
The parent of this child should tell him to shut up about the metal detector. Remind the child he is there to study and learn. Not to bring about legal action.
good for this kid....
Betcha the kid's parents are leftist lawyers.
So now we're ceding defense of the Bill of Rights to the left? Maybe you're one of those "conservatives" that don't mind government doing whatever it feels like "for the children".
What the school needs to do is find the two or three disgruntaled kids planning on staging a school shooting and set a date for them to do it. They then tell all the kids except for this one moron not to come to school. On that day, the kids with guns come into the school to only to find Mr. 4th Amendment the only one in class. Let's see how he likes his 4th amendment then.
Not really. Passing thru a detector could be argued as not being a search since no one is actually searching him.
My first thought too.
Does he have a "prince albert" or something?
The reason metal detectors are required is that the purpose of public schools is not to educate young people, but to provide secure, well-paying jobs for members of teachers' unions.
Metal detectors are not necessary in private/religious schools, because dangerous students who have no interest in learning are not present in them.
Unionized schools want the highest head count possible because the get $$$$$ for each student, to the tune of $10,000 average per year.
Public education is socialism, and the end result of socialism is always high-cost, low quality and danger, just like the socialized medical system is becoming.
When half the inner-city students graduating from high school can't even read, it becomes obvious that "free" education is valued by its recipient at exactly its cost to them.
This kid is right. He has been failed by a public education system that cannot even keep him safe from dangerous low-lifes without treating HIM like a criminal.
Abolish public education. It's for the children.
"public schools have become dangerous prisons."
That's why they have "lockdowns" at the drop of a hat, just like the county pen.
"So now we're ceding defense of the Bill of Rights to the left?"\
Are minors entitled to the full scope of the BOR? I don't think so.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.