The Safest Place to Hide: Life After Safford Unified School District #1 V. Savana Redding‪.‬

THE SUPREME COURT RECENTLY REVIEWED the controversial issue of searches in public schools, especially addressing the narrow question of whether the strip search of a 13-year-old suspected of possessing prescription-strength drugs was unreasonable. In a highly anticipated decision, Safford v. Redding (1) answered this question in the affirmative. In a victory for the student who claimed her constitutional rights were violated, the decision addressed the broader question of how far is too far for a school official to go in order to recover contraband and maintain a safe school environment. The effects of Redding are likely to be felt by students, teachers, lawyers, judges, and school personnel. However, because of its factually sensitive and vague holding, those effects remain to be seen and will likely not be known for years to come. While Redding is a victory for individual liberty advocates, many wonder whether the decision will only further compound the problem of drugs in schools, arguably providing students with a safe way to sneak contraband into public schools. FACTS