The Edjurist - Information on School and Educational Law

Typically I don't post reader comments on the main blog page, but this one warranted special attention. About a month ago I wrote on a strip search case out of the 9th Circuit: Redding v. Stafford. The case involved a strip search of a 13 year old by school administrators who were looking for prescription Ibuprofen. At the time I disagreed with the majority who ruled the search was legal.

Well, a few days ago, the plaintiff in that case wrote back in a comment:

Savana Lee Redding wrote:

This article is about me and i want
to thank Justice Thomas for standing up for me when no one else would.
i wrote a letter to the editor of the Eastern Arizona Courier. go to
their website and read it, its called, "How would you feel?", and leave
a comment. I appreciate this article very much. -Savana Lee R.

Link to Eastern Arizona Courier Editorial

Since the plaintiff of the case wrote the comment, it has special meaning. I brought this case up to the educational law class I teach and the students took special interest and as a group really felt for the plaintiff. Since the class I teach in this semester has over 140 students, it is likely that this case will have a impact moving forward as not only will most of those students become teachers, but many will become administrators and be in positions to make search and seizure decisions such as the one in this case.

So, Savana, thanks for writing back. I am sorry you had to go though the situation you did, but hopefully we will all learn something from it and the world will be a little better place going forward.