Administrators at a high school are concerned that there may be drugs on campus they decide to institute random backpack checks although they do not have search warrants according to the precedent established by new jersey v t. l.o would the administrators actions be legal? a. yes, because preventing drug use on high school campuses is an important part of creating a safe school environment. b. yes, because students are under 18 and therefore not protected by the bill of rights. c. no, because schools may search students belongings only is there is a reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing. d. no, because backpack checks are an ineffective way to prevent students from bringing drugs to school.

The correct answer is C). No, because schools could search students belongings only if there is a reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing.

The case referred is New Jersey v. T.L.O. in 1985.

T.L.O. was a 14-year-old female student at a New Jersey high school, when a teacher found her smoking cigarettes with another girl in the restroom, violating school rules.

The U.S. Supreme Court conclusion was that, under the circumstances of the case, the search of T.L.O.’s backpack did not violate the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution. However, the Court did not address if unlawfully seized evidence should be suppressed in a juvenile delinquency hearing. Nevertheless, the Court decided that the Fourth Amendment applies to school officials.

a.) are both appointed for life