HISET Social Studies Practice

What did the New Jersey v. T.L.O case clarify regarding students’ rights?

1. Students can be searched with reasonable suspicion

2. Students have no expectation of privacy at school

3. Warrants are always required for school searches

4. Teachers cannot search students’ belongings

The correct answer is: Students can be searched with reasonable suspicion

The New Jersey v. T.L.O case clarified that students can be searched by school officials with reasonable suspicion. This landmark Supreme Court decision recognized that while students do have rights, their expectation of privacy is balanced against the school administrations' need to maintain a safe and orderly environment. In this context, the Court ruled that as long as a school official has reasonable suspicion that a student may be violating the law or school rules, they are allowed to conduct a search without a warrant. The ruling acknowledges the authority of educational institutions to ensure safety and discipline while also respecting the rights of students. It establishes that searches in schools, while requiring reasonable suspicion rather than a probable cause standard, still afford students some level of protection against arbitrary searches.