The Supreme Court in North Carolina could soon give schools in the state the right to search the bras of students for drugs and other contraband.
The Daily Mail reports that back in 2008 a 15-year-old girl at Brunswick County Academy was forced to pull her bra away from her body to see if she was hiding drugs there. It turns out Percocet and other drug paraphernalia were found on her, and she later pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors.
However before the plea her lawyer asked the judge to throw out the evidence, saying the search invaded her privacy. The judge refused.
That part of the ruling was appealed, and the Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 in favor of the student, finding the search was "degrading, demeaning and highly intrusive."
The state appealed to the Supreme Court, with Assistant Attorney General LaToya Powell arguing that there was "a compelling governmental need" that outweighed the rights of individual privacy. Besides, Powell said, the search was minimal and at no time were the student's breasts exposed.
Regardless, it was still wrong according to the girl's lawyer.
"It is unconstitutional for our daughters to be treated this way by the public schools of North Carolina," attorney Geeta Kapur told the state's highest court.
Tuesday 14 February 2012
North Carolina Schools Fight to Search Bras for Drugs
