Child being searched at school

[philkool]

Is it against the law for a girl of 15 to be searched by a female teacher in front of male pupils and 2 male teachers,
apparently looking for mobile phones which are banned at school ?

[boxtops]

How searched?

[philkool]

Well they have a scanner which the children walk through every day but she was searched by the woman whom my gran daughter said is not a subject teacher more of a detective ( her words ) by patting down her coat and trouser areas etc

[philkool]

apparently looking for mobiles which she does not take to school

[boxtops]

The school must have a child protection policy, at least it was a female teacher searching her - sounds a bit like going through the scanner at the airport.

[philkool]

its not the searching that we are angry about just that it was in front of male teachers and pupils

[boxtops]

Are you going to complain, then?

[philkool]

my daughter is going to the school tomorrow via the police station just to get their view

[philkool]

we understand she could of refused the search but she did not know this at the time and was not told she could refuse.

[NazNomad]

"its not the searching that we are angry about just that it was in front of male teachers and pupils"

Would you rather she had been searched with no witnesses?

[welshlibranr]

I would speak to the Head Teacher and voice your grievance, I do understand what you're saying, the searches could be more discreet!...........speak to the Head!.....

[philkool]

well thanks boxtops i,ll let you know how it turns out

[DTCwordfan]

Sounds no worse than an airport and, prima facie, no basis for complaint - pat downs occur in front of men in an airport - they (the suspects) do have their clothes on, I am told.

Not unless there is something untoward that has gone on that you are not telling us.....

[boxtops]

Trouble is, if she refused, it could be inferred that she did have the phone with her. I would have thought that any search could have involved a chaperone, maybe another teacher (even though it was a woman checking her out).

[anneasquith]

she is only 15, a bit different than an airport check,

[philkool]

my daughter is a prison officer and when she searches prisoners or visitors they do it behind screens and with a 2 witnesses so that it was done right

[boxtops]

It's a different scenario, phil, but your daughter is a minor and I am sure that there are processes to follow - you ought to speak to the head teacher to ask to see their policies on this sort of thing, if you are uncomfortable about it.

[boxtops]

^^granddaughter, sorry

[NazNomad]

What reason did they give for needing to search her? Was the scanner showing something?

[philkool]

my daughter is a prison officer boxtops lol

[annie0000]

my children have been searched at the airport before. In front of men and women. I am struggling here to see what the issue is personally. What exactly is the problem? Is it the lack of trust?