1 item added to your cart
Street Law, Inc. and The Supreme Court Historical Society present
Street Law / Landmark Cases / Cases / New Jersey v. T.L.O.
". . . The warrant requirement, in particular, is unsuited to the school environment . . . [T]he legality of a search of a student should depend simply on the reasonableness, under all the circumstances, of the search . . . Such a search will be permissible in its scope when the measures adopted are reasonably related to the objectives of the search and not excessively intrusive in light of the age and sex of the student and the nature of the infraction. " —Justice Byron White, speaking for the majority
A New Jersey high school student was accused of violating school rules by smoking in the bathroom, leading an assistant principal to search her purse for cigarettes. The vice principal discovered marijuana and other items that implicated the student in dealing marijuana. The student tried to have the evidence from her purse suppressed, contending that mere possession of cigarettes was not a violation of school rules; therefore, a desire for evidence of smoking in the restroom did not justify the search. The Supreme Court decided that the search did not violate the Constitution and established more lenient standards for reasonableness in school searches.
Learn more
These materials were developed for students of various skill levels, and teachers should choose the level that works best for their students. Answers to the background questions, vocabulary, and activities can be found in the FOR TEACHERS ONLY tab under each case.
The Case
After the Case
School Searches: How far can schools go to search for illegal drugs? The Case of Safford v. Redding (2009)
* Answers to the background questions, vocabulary, and activities can be found in the FOR TEACHERS ONLY tab under each case.
Complete the activities for the first and second days, except the homework.
On the third day, complete Privacy, School Searches and Student Drug Testing.
This section contains answers and tips for differentiated instruction for select activities. To gain access, simply sign in.
If you are new to LandmarkCases.org and don't already have an account, please create one. You will then complete your registration by completing a brief registration form.
Contact: If you have questions/problems registering or accessing the teacher only materials, please contact Charlotte Friar (cfriar@streetlaw.org, 301.589.1130 ext. 250).
Print Facebook Twitter LinkedIn
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use