Cornfield by Lewis v. Consolidated High School Dist. Asking students to remove outer garments or empty pockets are less intrusive alternatives to strip searches and are less likely to be challenged in court. However, such consent must be given knowingly and voluntarily. The burden is on the school official to prove that consent was knowingly and voluntarily given by the student. For example, a student who consents to a search only because the school official has threatened to call the police has not voluntarily consented to the search.
Strip searches, in particular, are likely to subject a district to a court challenge.
This document is only an overview of the law. Legal counsel should be consulted prior to developing and implementing search policies.