— In Indiana, the United States District Court held that the strip search of a student by an administrator and nurse, prompted by a tip from two students, was unreasonable at its inception and in its scope. In refusing to dismiss the case, the court ruled that the school officials neither investigated nor made an effort to corroborate the tipsters’ account that the student possessed a bag of marijuana in her bra. In 2009, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Fourth Amendment “requires the support of reasonable suspicion of danger or of resort to underwear for hiding evidence of wrongdoing,” prior to a student strip search. Here, “the school officials went from tip to strip search lickety-split.” R.D. v. Concord Community Schools
— In North Carolina, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education voted to bring back School Resource Officers in its secondary schools. The new agreement will change the role of the officers to make the program more inclusive and student-focused. To do so, revisions will focus training on mental health and special needs students.
— In Tennessee, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation published its annual statewide school crime study. The study presents information on the characteristics of crime in Tennessee schools, K-12. The overall number of reported offenses decreased 59% over a three-year period. Student arrests decreased from 4100 arrests in 2018, 4400 arrests and 2019, to a low of 1800 arrests in 2020. Drug and narcotics violations decreased 54%. Weapons possession violations decreased 51%. The reported offender’s race was nearly equal between White students and African American students.
— In Missouri, school officials along with other public and private stakeholder agencies in Southwest Missouri are discussing solutions to youth suicide. The group identified six areas of concern: teen use of tobacco or vaping, bullying, marijuana use, underage drinking, mental health issues and suicidal ideations, and other drug abuse, such as prescription medications and opioids.