School Strip Search Case Before Supreme Court Today

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Published on Tuesday, 21 April 2009

Written by Anthony D. Romero, ACLU

When Savana Redding was just 13 years old, she was strip-searched by school officials for allegedly possessing prescription-strength ibuprofen. This traumatizing search was based solely on the false and uncorroborated accusation of a classmate who was caught with similar pills.

Overzealous school officials violated Savana's rights and called into question basic constitutional protections for all students in schools across America.

This morning, the Supreme Court heard arguments from ACLU attorney Adam Wolf in this powerful case.

Savana and her mother, April, recorded a short video with Graham Boyd, an attorney here at the ACLU who is working with them. I think you'll find it moving to meet a real hero who's taken her case to the Supreme Court.

It offends both common sense and the Constitution to undertake such an excessive, humiliating search based on nothing more than an uncorroborated accusation.

We hope the Supreme Court will recognize that such violations have no place in America's schools and will act to protect the privacy of all children.

Savana Redding and her mother have endured a lot in the past six years to bring their case this far -- they deserve our respect and our thanks. Please take a minute to write a message of support. It will be included with messages from ACLU supporters all across the country and presented to Savana and her mother in the weeks ahead.

Without people like Savana and April willing to walk into court to defend their rights, much of the ACLU's work would not be possible. We owe them more than our admiration. We owe them a debt of gratitude.

Thank you for supporting this fight.

Sincerely,

Anthony D. Romero
Executive Director
ACLU

Check out our discussion of Savana's case in Don't Consent To The Search: The 4th Amendment Podcast!

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