The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Michigan has filed a lawsuit on behalf of several students against Detroit Public Schools (DPS) alleging the students’ Fourth Amendment rights are being violated.
The students allege they are subject to unconstitutional mass searches, which the ACLU says is a direct violation of a 2006 consent decree the school signed. That decree agrees to not search student clothing, backpacks or cars without reasonable suspicion, reports MLive.com.
Security at Mumford High School has increased after recent outbreaks in violence. Students are required to walk through metal detectors and have their belongings checked as they enter school grounds. According to the lawsuit, DPS police officers have forced some students to submit to full-body frisks without any suspicion of wrongdoing. The officers are also being accused of using excessive force with pepper spray.
In November, the ACLU of Michigan sent a letter to Detroit Public Schools Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb warning him of the “serious constitutional and human rights concerns related to the district’s conduct.” The group also released a report entitled “Reclaiming Michigan’s Throwaway Kids: Students Trapped in the School-to-Prison Pipeline,” earlier this year.
DPS faced similar accusations in 2004. According to the complaint, police were conducting random searches and hallway sweeps.
Click here to read the ACLU’s press release on DPS’ alleged Fourth Amendment violations.
For additional information, click here.
