School Privacy Rights

Image Link

Have you ever thought if it’s fair for teachers and staff members to be allowed access to  our personal items such as cell phones? Well there are many ways to look at this matter. One way to look at it is the students point of view. Students mainly feel as if it’s an invasion of their privacy. On the other hand, teachers and staff members find it necessary in some cases. Although sometimes teachers and staff can take advantage of the situation. As a student I can see both point of views.

Although it’s the students property they can be using it in ways they shouldn't be. One way they can use their cell phone or other device the wrong way is cyber bullying. A student can be harassing another student online and sending threatening text messages. This can lead to suicide and self harm for the person who is getting bullied. When this happens I believe the school staff should be allowed to have access to the cell phone or device and prove if they are guilty of such a thing. Though the school staff shouldn't be looking through other things that don’t involve the cyber bullying.

In the student’s case of being searched in other personal property like lockers there is boundaries. If an adult believes there is some sort of weapon in a student’s locker, they should have a right to search the locker. In other cases such as a student hiding drugs for reasons like selling them to other students, the school should also have the right to search the locker. The school should be allowed to do this in these cases, but in other cases they shouldn't. One reason is if the school searched a student’s locker weekly because they did a bad thing in their past.

In the end I believe both staff members and students have their own rights. The students have their own privacy rights. Then the staff members have their rights for the school’s safety or a students safety. Both these rights protect the school, the school’s students, and staff. Even though student’s have their privacy rights in a certain situation a school principal or adult should be able to have access to a student’s locker or a personal item such as a device. This way both the student’s and staff members will be safe at school.