Strip Searches of Students: Addressing the Undressing of Children in Schools and Redressing the Fourth Amendment Violations

This Article exposes the problems created by T.L.O. and its progeny, analyzes the Safford decision, and proposes recommendations for lower courts, legislatures, and local school boards to redress the current strip search crisis in public schools. Part II explains the T.L.O. two-prong test and illustrates the problems the T.L.O. Court and lower courts have had in applying it, specifically in strip search cases. Part III analyzes the Safford opinion and its ramifications. Part IV proposes ways in which lower courts, legislatures, and local school boards can redress the problems created by TL.O. and Saf ford so that officials will no longer be protected when they violate their students' Fourth Amendment rights.

Part V concludes that without these changes, schools will be unable to provide a safe learning environment for their students.