The Sovereign Jetta

While reading 9NEWS tonight... a thought occurred to me that I really think out to be shared with everyone out there...

Over the past month, I've seen two stories of kids or students being affected by the contents of their vehicles while on school property. The first incident was a few weeks ago, but a student was expelled for the possession of a firearm on school grounds. Was he waiving it around? What he pointing it at students? No, the offending firearm was stowed in his vehicle, and was reported by another student to school officials. If I can find that story, I will post it.

(edited to add, here is the first story from Mar. 30 of this year: http://www.9news.com/news/local/article ... RONTPAGE|t )

And then again today... this story:

http://www.9news.com/news/local/article ... RONTPAGE|p

A student is asked if the school can search his car, and after he provides consent, knives are found... knives big enough to cause legal action, and again expulsion is the automatic ruling by the school district.

I'm not judging on whether the students are guilty or not, but I did want to comment to all the parents out there to remind their students that they have rights that are protected under our rule of law. The car, for instance, cannot be searched without cause, and even though it sits on school ground, cannot (or should not) be viewed as outside of the basic freedoms afforded by our constitution and protection from unlawful search.

In these instances, it has become clear to me that it should be time to remind our children that the police are looking out for the safety of everyone, but that does not automatically make them your friends. The government wants what is best for the population, but sometimes zero-tolerance leads to the split between what is best for a population, and what is best for an individual.

As a plea for sanity, please remind your teenagers and your friends that their rights should not be squandered, and that they should never consent to a search of their vehicle or property. From a moral standpoint, when a policeman/woman asks you for the privilege to search your vehicle or place of residence, they do this because you are protected from searches without probable cause, and the action of answering in the affirmative revokes your rights as a citizen.

Consider before you provide consent that this right was not granted to you to impede the police, or their duties, but to protect you from exactly what has happened in the two cases mentioned here. If nothing else, logic should win out here. Do not give up a protection because of a misplaced desire to be compliant, do not give up a protection because you believe that you are doing the right thing, or because you believe you can trust the individual who is requesting it. Keep every protection that you are afforded as a citizen of this country.

Sometimes, as in the case today with the knives, it's the difference between having a clean record, and being expelled. The school had no right to take the action it did today, at least... not until the student provided it to them. Some things should never be given up, and the Sovereignty of the inside of your Jetta is one of them.

I tell my kids, always ask for a warrant.

The making of a good socialist. Trust the government and fear the police.

No, the making of a good conservative. Always insist on and protect your rights.

residenttroll wrote: The making of a good socialist. Trust the government and fear the police.

:VeryScared:

I'm about as far from a socalist as they come...

I appreciate the responses, and just wanted to raise a concern I saw towards a developing threat. Little things like this are good reminders why we have the protections that we are afforded by the constitution. I never said to fear the police, they have a place, a responsibility, and our society dictates their necessity. That said, they are not our friends; nor did I ever indicate that the government should be our friend. Is the idea of a warrant government-based, sure... but that is also the government that assures our right to freedom from unlawful search, so we must put faith in that structure. I think that chickaree has the perfect idea, and I wish more thought the same way. The children in these stories could have avoided a lot of heartache if they were educated and prepared to utilize their rights as citizens of this country.

Ask for a warrant. If they stop you for speeding or a light out, that's no reason for them to search your car.

They'll say it will take time to get a warrant. Just respond, "That's OK. I can wait." And wait.

Why do school personnel/officers want to search cars, for crying out loud? Don't they have anything better to do?

I remember the days when practically every boy had a pocket knife, primary AND high school. I DON'T remember any problems with them, at least, where I went to school.

Here's a kid with honors in grades and he's booted out because of this. Who would let a cop look in his car if he knew there was one or more knives in it? Geesh!