Student Searches in Australia: A Consideration of Roles, Responsibilities and Rights of Students, School Staff and Police

This article considers the practicality of relying on student informants as a basis for conducting searches of students suspected of drug or weapons possession. It also examines whether such a search would violate the Rourth Amendment of the Constitution. It considers whether the professional judgment of school principals and teachers should be enhanced to address such situations to allow searches by staff. It also considers what guidelines would need to be in place if such a policy change were considered of merit.