Third-Graders Strip Searched

Eight third-grade students in Westwego, Louisiana, were strip-searched after another student reported $20 missing. The children were taken one by one into a closet where boys were told to drop their pants and the girls were told to strip down to nothing.

Posted on Tuesday, January 30 @ 18:32:10 EST Culture

Search prompts protest

Complaint says 8 pupils stripped
http://www.dallasnews.com/texas_southwest/272616_tswfill_27tex..html

01/27/2001

Associated Press

WESTWEGO, La. – Eight third-grade students were strip-searched after another student reported $20 missing, parents say in a complaint filed with police.

The children were taken one by one into a closet at Joshua Butler Elementary and searched, Police Chief Roy Juncker Jr. said this week. The boys were told to drop their pants and the girls were told to strip down to nothing, he said.

"The girls took all of their clothes off, for the most part," Chief Juncker said.

School officials could not be reached for comment.

Karen Hardy, whose 8-year-old stepson was searched, said parents are troubled by the incident.

When the girl first reported Wednesday that her money was gone, a school administrator had the child's classmates take off their shoes and turn their socks inside out.

When the money did not turn up, some of the students were taken into another room and searched by the administrator, she said.

Ms. Hardy said her husband complained to the administrator later Wednesday and was told that a search was within school system policy.

Chief Juncker said he has conferred with the Jefferson Parish district attorney's office but does not expect criminal charges.

"This wasn't a molestation," he said.

The complaint probably will end up as a civil problem between parents and the Jefferson Parish School Board, he said.