Fornits
Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform => The Ridge Creek School / Hidden Lake Academy => Topic started by: Anonymous on August 06, 2007, 03:47:00 PM
-
Strip Searched Students Awarded $285K
August 6, 2007 - 2:15pm
CHESTERTOWN, Md. - Two Kent County students who were strip searched in a 2004 school raid have won $285,000 in damages and written apologies from the school system and sheriff's office.
The settlement announced Monday ends the lawsuit over a drug search at Kent County High School in Worton, where drug-sniffing dogs were used and more than a dozen students were searched. No drugs were found.
Two of the students _ Heather Gore and Jessica Bedell _ sued over the strip searches. The Maryland chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union took their case.
The school system has agreed to pay $67,500 to Gore and $57,500 to Bedell. The Kent County Sheriff's Department has agreed to pay the pair $160,000.
"It's a real testament to the strength of these two young women who took a stand against excessive police involvement in their school," said ACLU Legal Director Deborah Jeon.
Jeon said settlement talks have been going on all summer but were finalized last week.
In an ACLU statement, Gore said she hoped her lawsuit would give other students courage to stand up for their rights.
"Hopefully, this experience will help students realize that they can defend their rights, and also see that there are people to support and help vindicate them even in situations where it seems as though you're taking on the impossible," said Gore, who was 15 at the time of the raid.
During the raid, 250 book bags in 12 classrooms were scanned by drug-sniffing dogs. Gore said she was forced to remove her skirt and lift her tank top. She also said an officer checked her underwear.
As part of the settlement, the Kent County School Board issued an apology saying "mistakes were made."
"The board apologizes to Ms. Gore and Ms. Bedell for any discomfort, embarrassment, adverse educational impact, or any other harm that they suffered ... and wishes only the best of success to them in their future endeavors," the apology read.
Kent County Superintendent Anthony Pack did not comment beyond the apology statement.
Gore and Bedell also received written apologies from the sheriff's department.
"The sheriff's office acknowledges that Ms. Gore and Ms. Bedell were not found to be in possession of any illegal substances, or in violation of any law or regulation," that apology read.
In a written statement, Bedell said, "I'm very happy with the school's cooperation and apology, which makes me hopeful that it will not happen again to anyone."
Jeon said the school system has not performed any similar drug searches since the 2004 incident.
Bedell and Gore are now enrolled in college, a spokeswoman for the ACLU said Monday.
___
On the Net:
Kent County Public Schools: http://www.kent.k12.md.us (http://www.kent.k12.md.us)
Kent County Sheriff's Office: http://www.kentcounty.com/sheriff (http://www.kentcounty.com/sheriff)
ACLU of Maryland: http://www.aclu-md.org (http://www.aclu-md.org)
-
this is pointless, post it in the other forums that are relivant to that school
-
It's a good precedent to set. Establishes that minors, in fact, do have rights.
-
one of the many problems though is that the school in the article was a public school...and up until a couple of months ago, hla was the private play thing of a single pervert...and anything he said went...up until recently that is!!!
bwa-ha-ha-ha
-
this is pointless, post it in the other forums that are relivant to that school
It is very relevant because most parents did not know about strip searches, nor did they consent to them. Strip searching wasn't disclosed until this lawsuit was filed.
-
yeah, i see y'all's point then. correct me if i'm wrong but do students have legal power to refuse strip searches at hla??
-
We're going to call the ACLU to find out. Should prove interesting.
-
I do not think anything is interesting anymore since obviously HLA has gotten away with murder and continues to do so. They got away with all the lies and deceptions they pulled on families since the lawsuit was filed in Sept. 2006. HLA was falling apart and crumbling and they kept telling familes everything was fine. Then, there is the big question of the timing of that convenient fire. Everyone in authority seems to be letting HLA get by with all of this even when they are down to just a handful of teachers on staff etc. Who cares anymore. Obviously, in this case EVIL triumphs over GOOD. I am just so glad that we are so OVER the sham of HLA.