The parish and city school systems of the state are the exclusive owners of all public school buildings and all desks and lockers within the building assigned to any student and any other area of any public school buildings or grounds set aside specifically for the personal use of the students.  Any teacher, principal, school security guard, or administrator in any parish or city school system of the state may search any building, desk, locker, area, or grounds for evidence that the law, a school rule, or parish or city school board policy has been violated.

The teacher, principal, school security guard, or administrator may search the person of a student or his personal effects when, based on the attendant circumstances at the time of the search, there are reasonable grounds to suspect that the search will reveal evidence that the student has violated the law, a school rule, or a school board policy.  Such a search shall be conducted in a manner that is reasonably related to the purpose of the search and not excessively intrusive in light of the age or sex of the student and the nature of the suspected offense.

The dog will be used to make random searches of the following areas:  1) classroom facilities, 2) school lockers, 3) automobiles, 4) school buses, 5) school equipment, 6) bathroom facilities, 7) any and all other school facilities, 8) books, and 9) school-related supplies carried and used by students.

When reasonable belief exists, the dog may be used to search student’s clothing and personal objects when these are separated from the student.  At no time shall a student be asked to strip nude for purpose of a random search.

Random searches on school campuses shall be conducted according to a schedule agreed upon by the principal and the responsible law enforcement officer in charge of this program.

The use of the dog at any particular school campus shall be unannounced.  The law enforcement official in charge of the operation shall, however, report to the principal’s office, properly identify himself, and state his purpose prior to any use of the dog on campus.

The principal, or his designee, shall accompany the search team at any time the search is being conducted within the school campus for which he is responsible.

Search of School Property

If the dog alerts on a school locker or other property belonging to the school board, such property shall be searched.

Search of Property not Belonging to the School but Located on School Board Property

If alcohol, drugs or contraband is discovered, it will be confiscated, and the student’s parents will be notified.  Any offender will be disciplined by school personnel in accordance with policy JCDAB, Student Alcohol and Drug Use and file JCAB “Search and Seizure”.

Annual Written Notification:  At the start of each school year, parents and students shall receive written notification of the school district’s policy to conduct, in the manner specified here and below, unannounced searches of students and non-employees on school board property and at school-sponsored events throughout the remainder of that school year.  Once said notices have been disseminated, these unannounced search procedures shall be implemented on a district-wide basis.

Posted Notices:  Signs shall be posted outside entrances to school board facilities, on school buses and at entrances to school-sponsored events to serve as notice to students and non-employees that they are subject to a search with a metal detector or by other means authorized by this policy, as a condition of entry, and that by the fact of their entry they shall be deemed to have freely and voluntarily consented to such search of their persons and/or possessions, for weapons and prohibited telecommunication devices.

Refusal by non-employees to cooperate fully with a search shall result in their removal from school board property or school-sponsored activities.

Students entering school board property or school-sponsored activities who refuse to cooperate fully with a search shall be denied entry to school board property and shall be removed from school-sponsored activities.

Students on school board property (e.g., P. E. areas, classrooms, cafeteria, etc.) who refuse to cooperate fully with a search will be suspended for “disrespect for authority/willful disobedience,” as provided for in policy JCD, Student Conduct, JDD, Suspension, and JDE, Expulsion.

Metal Detectors:  Random searches with a metal detector of students or their personal effects may be conducted at any time, provided they are conducted without deliberate touching of students.  When metal detectors are used, selected subjects shall be asked to remove all metal objects from their pockets and place the items on a designated tray or surface, along with any bags, parcels or other containers being carried.  If the detector activated on a subject, the authorized school official conducting the search shall request that any remaining metal objects be removed.  The subject shall be searched with the metal detector once again.  If the detector no longer activates, the search shall be concluded (Reference F-1 and F-2).

Personal Searches:  Should the metal detector continue to activate, the subject shall be searched by authorized school personnel of the same sex in the presence of at least one other responsible adult.  The personal search shall be conducted only in the area of the body which activated the metal detector.  The object causing the metal detector to activate shall be removed and the individual searched with the metal detector again.  The search shall continue until the metal detector ceases to activate on the subject’s person.

Return of Property:  All property removed from a subject that is not prohibited by board policy, local, state and federal law, or school rules, shall be returned to the subject upon completion of the search.  Non-illegal contraband shall be returned to the parent/guardian of the student within the first two weeks after the end of the school year.  The parent/guardian shall be responsible for making arrangements with the principal to retrieve the item(s).  If the item(s) is not so retrieved, the principal shall convey the item(s) to a charitable entity, unless the item(s) has no practical value, in which case the principal shall dispose of the item(s).

Discovery of Contraband:  Should a subject be found to be in possession of contraband (such as weapons, illegal drugs, or other prohibited objects), the person conducting the search shall notify the school principal/designee, who shall in turn notify the local police, or the appropriate law enforcement agency (if not present for the search).  The law enforcement agent shall take custody of all weapons, other prohibited objects, and illegal drugs.