Education minister of Quebec defends strip searches of students

Here is something out of my home country that makes me want to be sick.

I'm very glad that i do not have kids, and this never happened in any of the schools i attended on the east coast. This is going to end up in some assault charges if it happens to the wrong kid. (If this is in the wrong forum, i apologize)

Montreal Gazette

Quebec Education Minister Yves Bolduc said it’s OK to strip search students suspected of concealing drugs as long as it’s done respectfully and by the book.

“It is permitted to do strip searches, on one condition: it must be very respectful, ” he said at the National Assembly on Tuesday.

“There are reasons for which we can be obliged to conduct searches,” he continued. “What’s important is that we respect the law and respect the framework that was put in place (for searching students) and respect the person.”

Bolduc was defending staff at the Neufchâtel High School in Quebec City, who reportedly strip-searched a 15-year-old student last Thursday on the suspicion that she had offered to sell marijuana to her friend.

Strip searched because there was some suspicion that she had drugs on her. Not even cops are allowed to do that. I feel very bad for the young lady involved too, she did the right thing and contacted the media.

News of the strip search broke in the Journal de Québec last week. The student told the newspaper that her locker had been searched regularly at school for drugs. By her account, she had jokingly sent a text message to a friend on Feb. 12 offering to sell him “pot.” A teacher confiscated her cellphone, and the message was passed on to the school principal. After questioning, the student was escorted to a room and asked to take off her clothes behind a blanket.

She was quoted as saying that the search left her feeling “intimidated,” “violated,” “destroyed” and “ashamed.”

In a communiqué, the Commission scolaire de la Capitale said the search was “exceptional,” but that it was carried out according to “established norms.”

I'm sorry, but what kind of world do we live in when school officials are allowed to strip search minors. I tell ya one thing, if it was my daughter someone would have a broken nose and i'd have a few assault charges. It steams me. The girl could have said no, and outright refused to do it. Under suspicion of carrying drugs, isolate the student, call the police and let them do their thing. Which would be a -pat down-, over the clothing. A locker search. A strip search is excessive.

Nope cant see how this is allowable. The police are they only people who should have any right to conduct a strip search. No civil group or institution should ever ever be able to enforce this. I would be fuming!!!

Looks like you guys are getting as bad as we are here in the U.S.
Guilty till proven innocent.
Here at our school, a copy of all the rules and policies are given to the kids and parents are supposed to sign it, agreeing with whatever it says. No where in that does it say my kids can be personally searched and if it does say anything I don't agree with, I don't sign. If they wanted to strip search my kid, I'd tell them "They'll take their clothes off right after you do". My kids would not be going back to any school that tried this.

a reply to: AzureSky

Reason #1227 why home schooling is going to become more popular in the upcoming years.

When schools become more like prison facilities and less like places of academic development, it's time to take the responsibility of educating your children into your own hands.

originally posted by: WilsonWilson
Nope cant see how this is allowable. The police are they only people who should have any right to conduct a strip search. No civil group or institution should ever ever be able to enforce this. I would be fuming!!!

Welcome to the new world order.

Teachers with guns, cavity searches…. at school.

police state

A state in which the government exercises rigid and repressive controls over the social, economic, and political life of the people, especially by means of a secret police force.

The secret is out… thanks girly!

a reply to: AzureSky
How can you respectfully do strip searching? I am guessing when they say respectfully means they will not do a cavity search. I still can not say you can do a body search in a respectful way. Hands are still going to go places where they shouldn't.

a reply to: AzureSky

God knows why I will never have something like this happen to my kids. I dont think I would even call the cops or the news.
I would find the person who did this and sit him down for a long drive a talk. He may need a change a of pants by the time I drop him off.

There is no excuse for this. Somewhere in Canada a pair of Canadian parents are slacking.

originally posted by: CranialSponge
a reply to: AzureSky

Reason #1227 why home schooling is going to become more popular in the upcoming years.

When schools become more like prison facilities and less like places of academic development, it's time to take the responsibility of educating your children into your own hands.

It is beginning to look like they are trying to "force" people to home school their children. When my sister-in-law took my nephews out of state school and was home schooling them; I thought it was a bad idea and unfortunately, told her so. I may not like the taste of crow, but I had to eat a lot of it.

My nephew is not only a member of the honor society, he is graduating from high school this summer with 2 college degrees under his belt. He is a very mature and responsible young man. He inherited my love of knowledge and it looks like he is going to take away my position as the family's head info-holic and my golden WWW speed search belt.

His two brothers are doing very well also and seem to have inherited from the musical side of the family gene pool. They also, like myself, have a great love for musical instruments. My grandmother was a music instructor. I am the oldest of 10 children. 5 girls, 5 boys. She died when I was only 2 years old and long before their father was born, but many of us inherited her love for musical instruments. I play "at" 5 different instruments, more if you separate the Native American flute and Indian bamboo flute from the Western flute and if you include the Karimba and Kalimba. With the magic of the internet I was able to teach myself to play "at" all instruments I own to date.

For many, state school is more a social, baby sitting arena, than a place of actual learning. The internet has placed all of the world's knowledge at our fingertips. Almost every child is walking around with almost everything there is know about everything, in their pocket. Yet they are locked into a fantasy world of video games, self worship and virtual gang stalking. Imagine what would happen if they used those tiny little electronic gadgets for actually learning about themselves, the world, the universe.

They have the world at their fingertips. Maybe we are at fault because we have not taught them the value of the this gift. Children are basically visual learners. They learn much more from what they see than from what we say.

The news said that she wanted to phone her parents before it happened and they wouldn't let her. Even prisoners get one!

“established norms.”

Since when?

When was it established, by who and what are the norms?

If she sues them into the dark ages this would be “established norms.” that at least have credibility.

Peace

originally posted by: Ridhya
The news said that she wanted to phone her parents before it happened and they wouldn't let her. Even prisoners get one!

Where and when has it ever been okay for anyone to put their hands on anyone's child without their presence of permission? When or where has it ever been okay for anyone to remove or request that a child remove any intimate article of clothing without the parent being present?

This is just not unacceptable, this is criminal. While I do not condone physical violence without a very just cause; this come very close to the line and leaves very little room before the inevitable cross.

If any of my young family members were treated in this fashion, I can assure you, it will be the proverbial "Never Ending Story.” I would spend every waking day, for the rest of my limited life, poking into every hole, loop, nook and cranny, looking for any way to make their lives an absolute living hell, and to ensure their bank balance into perpetuity, is prefaced with a golden (-) sign.

a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn
While I agree what happened was wrong, they didnt put their hands on her. Two female teachers had her strip behind a blanket and they inspected the clothing for drugs

originally posted by: Ridhya
a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn
While I agree what happened was wrong, they didnt put their hands on her. Two female teachers had her strip behind a blanket and they inspected the clothing for drugs

A simple patdown from a security guard would have found any drugs on her person, issue resolved.
We could have perverts sneaking a peak too. Weirds me out.

originally posted by: Ridhya
a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn
While I agree what happened was wrong, they didnt put their hands on her. Two female teachers had her strip behind a blanket and they inspected the clothing for drugs

I understand that this is what happened in the incident reported. Call me an alarmist but I see this going south at the speed of light, if it is allowed to be a common practice.

Even if the participants think their actions and intent are completely above board; it won't always be true for all involved in cases that may follow.