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/

[stevenidol]

Originally Posted by 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".

Ok, assuming it's not true, we take back everything, except **** the police.

[BigMeatballDave]

Originally Posted by Argo

He's depressed from being strip searched?

Dumbass

[BigMeatballDave]

Originally Posted by 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".

ISS can be for anything, dumbass.

I got it for talking in class, repeatedly.

[Gravedigger]

School will lose alot of money on this and the kid will transfer. But parents shouldnt sit there and pretend that their boy isn't the same person because he's angry and depressed. Why was he in an in school suspension in the first place before being taken to the washroom. The school was out of line and deserves to lose money for their idiocy but this kid sounds like a bit of a brat who's acting out. I wouldn't be surprised if there are some untruths flying around here. But I've known teachers be recommissioned because kids were lying about them, its a sad reality what school has become nowadays.

[listopencil]

I got a week of ISS in High School. If anyone had tried this to me I would have gone berserk and caused serious injury to the police officer and the Assistant Principal.

[Willie Lanier]

Taking the special ed kid into the bathroom for a strip search... Yeah why on earth would the parents be upset?

[Hootie]

this GD thread is totally worthless without pics!!!

[Mrs. Loopner]

Don't know about the validity of the 15 yr old's story but... this will really piss you off.

"Teachers face child abuse charges for dragging blind boy through school by his feet"

News story and Video-
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nati...sEnabled=false

[Bump]

thats really ****ed up.

[HoneyBadger]

Originally Posted by Dave

ISS can be for anything, dumbass.

I got it for talking in class, repeatedly.

Ya, that was probably distracting to the kids who are making more money than you are today.

[CoMoChief]

That school's gonna be in a lot of shit.

[BigMeatballDave]

Originally Posted by HoneyBadger

Ya, that was probably distracting to the kids who are making more money than you are today.

I make enough to pay your mother for tricks.

[Mrs. Loopner]

Originally Posted by Bump

thats really ****ed up.

Ain't it though? Why would anyone with even one single tiny brain cell EVER think it was acceptable to do something like that????

[HoneyBadger]

Originally Posted by Dave

I make enough to pay your mother for tricks.

That isn't saying much....

[Dunit35]

Originally Posted by rockymtnchief

I guess the drug dogs are on strike in Chicago?

That's usually not a good idea. A lot of k9's are aggressive alert dogs or not safe around anyone but its handler.

We stay clear of our night shift k9.