Student lockers are owned by the Owen J. Roberts School District and loaned to students for their use and convenience. The building administrators exercise exclusive control over student lockers. A student should not expect privacy regarding items placed in a locker, as lockers are subject to search by school officials.
Building administrators or other school officials may conduct a reasonable search of a particular locker when there is reasonable suspicion that the locker contains contraband. Prior to the search of a particular locker, the student assigned to the locker will be notified and given an opportunity to be present. However, where school authorities have a reasonable suspicion that a particular locker contains material which poses a threat to the welfare and safety of students or staff, the student locker may be searched without prior notice.
School officials may conduct blanket or random searches of lockers without suspicion of any particular student where school officials determine in good faith that a substantial problem is threatening the welfare or safety of students and that blanket or random searches may help to solve or to eliminate the problem. The search must be conducted following the guidelines outlined in School Board Policy 226 – Searches of Students, Lockers, & Vehicles. Blanket or random locker searches may be conducted by opening and searching lockers or through the use of drug-detecting dogs or other means of detecting contraband. No additional notice to students is required prior to a random or blanket search of students’ lockers.
Any contraband found in a locker will be considered in the possession of the student assigned to the locker. For purposes of this policy, “contraband” includes drugs, alcohol, weapons, or other materials possessed by a student in violation of federal or state law or the Middle School Discipline Code. All contraband found during searches by school officials will be seized and used as evidence against the student in disciplinary proceedings. In addition, illegal material confiscated will be turned over immediately to the appropriate law enforcement agency for further investigation and for the institution of possible juvenile or criminal proceedings.
Under no circumstances are students permitted to share lockers or locker combinations with other students. Sharing a locker includes storing items or permitting the storage of items, regardless of the length of time, in another student’s locker. Any student who violates this guideline will be subject to Level I discipline as described in the Middle School Discipline Code.