Southeast/Long Beach : Student Search Rules OKd

When it comes to drugs and weapons, school officials in Whittier and Norwalk say middle school students are not to be trusted. For that matter, their new search and seizure policy won’t count out elementary students.

As classes begin next week across the Little Lake City School District, teachers and staff will have explicit new rules on perusing students’ desks, lockers, backpacks and pockets if they think there is “reasonable suspicion” that a student might be bringing illegal drugs or weapons on campus.

Although weapons are not a problem in the 4,600-student district, Supt. Maria Ott says drugs on campus became a concern this year after several middle school students were found with marijuana.

Little Lake had not implemented state campus search guidelines until now because, unlike most districts with search policies, it has no high schools. But the marijuana scare prompted some principals to ask how they could check students.

“Times are changing,” Ott said. She had no figures on recent illegal possessions among students but said concern was high enough “that we would want to see all of our support policies in place.”

At least two staff members must be present during a search, and parents are to be notified as soon as possible afterward. If weapons or drugs are found, police will be called to make a report. Students will not be strip searched, Ott said.