Policy:

As necessary to protect the health, safety, and welfare of students and staff, JCS, Inc. (JCS) officials may search students, their property, and/or school property under their control, and may seize illegal, unsafe, and prohibited items. The Governing Board requires that discretion, good judgment, and common sense be exercised in all cases of search and seizure. When conducting a search or seizure, employees shall act in accordance with law, Board policy, and administrative regulation. The Executive Director or designee shall ensure that staff who conduct student searches receive training regarding the requirements of the charter school's policy and administrative regulation and other legal issues, as appropriate.

Individual Searches

JCS officials may search individual students, their property and school property under their control when there is a reasonable suspicion that the search will uncover evidence that the student is violating the law, Board policy, administrative regulation, or other rules of the school. Reasonable suspicion shall be based on specific and objective facts that the search will produce evidence related to the alleged violation. The types of student property that may be searched by school officials include, but are not limited to, lockers, desks, purses, backpacks, student vehicles parked on district property, cellular phones, or other electronic communication devices. The types of student property that may be searched by school officials include, but are not limited to, lockers, desks, purses, backpacks, student vehicles parked on district property, cellular phones, or other electronic communication devices.

Employees shall not conduct strip searches or body cavity searches of any student. Searches of individual students shall be conducted in the presence of at least two school employees. The School Principal/Director or designee shall notify the parent/guardian of a student subjected to an individualized search as soon as possible after the search.

Student Lockers/Desks

JCS Director or designee may conduct a general inspection of school properties that are within the control of students, such as lockers and desks, on a regular, announced basis, with students standing by their assigned lockers or desks. Any items contained in a locker or desk shall be considered to be the property of the student to whom the locker or desk was assigned.

Because lockers and desks are under the joint control of the student and JCS, school officials shall have the right and ability to open and inspect any school locker or desk without student permission or prior notice when they have reasonable suspicion that the search will uncover evidence of illegal possessions or activities or when odors, smoke, fire and/or other threats to health, welfare or safety emanate from the locker or desk.

Use of Metal Detectors

The Board believes that the presence of weapons in the schools threatens the school’s ability to provide a safe and orderly learning environment to which school students and staff are entitled. The Board also believes that metal detector searches offer a reasonable means to keep weapons out of the schools and mitigate the fears of students and staff.

The School Principal/Director or designee shall establish procedures that ensure that metal detector searches are conducted in a consistent manner that minimizes or eliminates arbitrary and capricious enforcement by school officials.

Use of Drug-Detection Dogs

In an effort to keep the schools free of drugs, JCS may use specially trained non-aggressive dogs to sniff out and alert staff to the presence of substances prohibited by law or Board policy. The dogs may sniff the air around lockers, desks, or vehicles on school property or at school-sponsored events as long as they are not allowed to sniff within the close proximity of any students.

Original Policy 12/09/05

Revised Policy 06/05/2020

Revised Policy 03/10/2023

Link to 5031.2 Search and Seizure Administrative Regulations