Parents Of Teen Strip-Searched At School Sue Assistant Principal, Police

[petegz28]

CHICAGO (CBS) – The parents of a 15-year old boy who was allegedly strip-searched at a high school last month have filed a lawsuit against the Chicago Public Schools.

In an exclusive interview with CBS 2 Investigator Pam Zekman, the boy and his outraged parents described what happened.

“He came home crying. So I asked him why he was crying,” said the boy’s father, Anthony Woodman. “And he was like hysterical. He tells me he’s been strip-searched.”

It allegedly happened at Taft High school last month.

His mother, Michelle Woodman said she contacted the CBS2 Investigators “so this doesn’t happen to anyone else. No one should go through what our son went through.”

The student said two security guards, a Chicago police officer and a female assistant principal took him from an room where he was serving an “in school suspension” to a nearby washroom on the second floor.

Asked if the officer or assistant principal said anything, the student said, “They told me they had an anonymous tip. They were looking for drugs.”

He said, while the others watched, one of the security guards put him up against the wall of a bathroom stall so his back was to the guards.

“And then he searched me with my clothes on,” the boy said. “Then he told me to remove my belt. As I undid my belt he pulled my pants and underwear down to my knees.”

After that, “He started grabbing and searching my privates,” the boy said.



He said they did not find any drugs.

Records the Woodmans provided said CPS staff diagnosed their son with an emotional disorder and learning disability. He requires special education services.

Misconduct reports detail behavioral problems leading to numerous suspensions, some contested by his parents.

As for the strip search, his father said “there needs to be consequences for what they did to him.”

Now his parents are suing everyone allegedly involved, and Chicago Public Schools and City of Chicago.

“What we are claiming is that his civil rights were violated when he was strip searched without cause and unreasonably,” said Julie Herrera, the Woodman’s attorney.

“The way it was done was outrageous,” Herrera said. “Having a 15-year-old boy have to have a woman – an older woman – watch him with his pants down, while he is touched by another man. I think is horribly humiliating and embarrassing.”

His mother said it was humiliating for her son, and it has adversely affected him.

“He is very withdrawn. He sleeps with his clothes on. He’s had nightmares,” said Michelle Woodman. “He is very angry. He’s depressed. He is just not the same person.”

The assistant principal who allegedly watched the strip search declined to comment, referring questions to the Chicago Public School’s law department.

A CPS spokeswoman said their policy is that “under no circumstances are strip searches of students allowed on CPS premises.”

The CPS policy manual also prohibits “washroom searches.”

Spokeswomen for both CPS and the Chicago Police Department said they cannot comment on this case until their investigation is complete

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/12/...ncipal-police/

[notorious]

JFC.

[KurtCobain]

He's depressed from being strip searched?

[petegz28]

I don't think even the police are allowed to strip search you based on nothing but an "anonymous tip" let alone a ****ing school.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by Argo

He's depressed from being strip searched?

Put yourself in his shoes. You're a speciel ed kid, everyone in school knows you just got felt up by a security guard in the bathroom.......that would could be depressing for any teenager.

[GoChargers]

Originally Posted by Argo

He's depressed from being strip searched?

So you'd be perfectly fine with being strip searched by some random creepy guy in the school bathroom? Wow.

[stevenidol]

The principal and the cop should get strip searched in front of the other students as well, because of an anonymous tip obviously.

[notorious]

Some schools have absolute dipshits running them.

[petegz28]

I will say we are assuming this is all true. The kid could be lying through his teeth as well.

[LiveSteam]

Wait till this shit happens to your 3rd grade daughter.

[rockymtnchief]

I guess the drug dogs are on strike in Chicago?

[KurtCobain]

Originally Posted by petegz28

Put yourself in his shoes. You're a speciel ed kid, everyone in school knows you just got felt up by a security guard in the bathroom.......that would could be depressing for any teenager.

He was in ISS, they don't put true special Ed kids in there, I had a learning disability and emotional disorder in school, but just because I was a stoned slacker. I was searched at school plenty of times, I just never lied and said they grabbed my Balls.

[dj56dt58]

Originally Posted by LiveSteam

Wait till this shit happens to your 3rd grade daughter.

There would be 2 dead security guards, assistant principle, and cop

[HoneyBadger]

Look at you people, assuming this is 100% real based on a kid's story. All of a sudden the fact that he was suspended was overlooked because of his "story".

[KurtCobain]

Yeah, I call bullshit on the kid. When this story first came out it was made clear the kid had alot of previous trouble history, I think I even recall he sent as bomb threat to a school before