Search and Seizure of the Technology Center Property Assigned to Student, Policy No, 594

Printable Board Policy 594

In order to maintain discipline and to ensure the proper functioning of the educational process, school adminis­trators must have access at all times to all technology center property, including lockers, cabinets, desks, etc. assigned to students.  The administration will maintain a confidential file of all lockers (if any) and their combinations and will retain master keys to all lockers, cabinets, etc., as applicable. Thus, although students have privacy rights in their locker/cabinet contents and other technology center property assigned to them as against other students, they do not have privacy rights in their locker/cabinet contents and other technology center property assigned to them as against technology center administrators. No technology center property will be used to store objects or materials that violate school regulations or state and local ordinances.  The technology center maintains the right to ensure that lockers, cabinets, desks, and other technology center property assigned to students are properly cleaned, and that they do not contain items which should not be kept on technology center property.  Lockers, cabinets, desks, and other technology center property assigned to students will be opened periodically for cleaning purposes and to locate class materials. In addition, administrators may open and examine student lockers, cabinets, desks, and all technology center property assigned to students for general and specific inspections at any time.

"Sniffer" dogs may properly be used to discover prohibited items concealed in technology center property assigned to students.

Illegal items or other possessions or substances reasonably determined to be a threat to the safety or security of others will be seized by technology center authorities. These items will immediately be turned over to law enforcement officials for disposition as they see fit. The Superintendent may designate school personnel to transport any seized dangerous weapons, controlled dangerous substances, alcoholic beverages, or missing or stolen property that might be in a student’s possession from a school site to a centralized location within the technology center or to local law enforcement offices for lawful disposal. While in transport, the designated school personnel shall carry their school identification and a letter from the superintendent confirming their authority to transport the items for disposal. All items transported for disposal shall be transported in a locked container.

Items which are used to disrupt or interfere with the educational process will be temporarily removed from student possession.

Reference: Okla. Stat. tit. 70, § 24-102

Adopted: January 22, 2024