Freedom to be Searched

Recently a high school in Colorado has been put under investigation because the principal would search through students’ cellphone text messages. The American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU, says that this is an invasion of privacy. My question is: how has the school invaded these students’ privacy?

I believe the school has every right to search cellphones and even PDAs and computers. Let’s say a couple of upper classmen are planning to pull a prank on a couple of freshmen that could be potentially harmful. If theses students were sending text messages about it, and a principal were to see these text messages, the school administration would be able to put a stop to it.

Or, just take a look at any of the recent school shootings. Just think had someone looked at a couple of the emails that were written by the gunman at Virginia Tech, don’t you think that someone would have been able to prevent this tragedy from happening. And certainly the two gunmen at Columbine High School communicated somehow beforehand about their plans. If the principal had seen a text message or something, wouldn’t that principal have done something about it?

From my perspective, if a student does not want something to be searched, then that student shouldn’t bring that to school with them. Basically, if you know that a principal will take up your phone or laptop and then read your text messages, just don’t bring your phone or laptop to school. I mean, certainly this principal had a reason to have the student’s phone in the first place.