DEKALB EDUCATOR PUT ON PROBATION

Four female students strip-searched

An assistant principal of Dunwoody High School has been reassigned and a
DeKalb County School System police officer is under investigation for the
partial strip-searches of four female students two weeks ago.

The "school resource officer," or SRO, believed he had seen two of the girls
passing marijuana, said Bob Moseley, the DeKalb County area administrator
who oversees the school. The students were taken to Assistant Principal
Linda Bobo's office individually to be searched.

"She looked through my bag," said one of the girls who was searched. "I
dumped it out, and she like was smelling my makeup and stuff. Then she says
take off your shirt."

She said Bobo patted her back, checked her pants pockets, and asked her to
lift the bands of her bra and underwear to show she wasn't hiding anything.

"It was real embarrassing," the girl said. She said she didn't tell her
mother for two days because she didn't know how to bring it up.

The student's mother said she has never been contacted by any school
officials about the search, which took place Sept. 30.

"They're just sweeping it under the rug because I've never received any
communication about this incident at all," the mother said. "[My daughter]
wasn't naked, but it sounded pretty invasive."

District officials said the school's principal did not know the searches
were being conducted. Moseley was informed on Oct. 1 and temporarily
reassigned the assistant principal to his office.

Bobo, who had been at the school for several years, will get a letter of
reprimand. She was put on probationary status for a year, will be required
to attend staff development training, and was transferred to the school
system's Open Campus High School as of Monday.

"It was poor judgment on the assistant principal's part," Moseley said.

The officer also has been removed from the campus while his role is
investigated. Moseley said it appears the officer told the administrator to
conduct the searches.

"The SRO directed her and she was under the impression that she could be
directed by an SRO to do that," Moseley said.

Moseley said nothing was found on the girls or in their possession. He said
a marijuana cigarette was later found in the parking lot near where the
students had been and that two of the girls were arrested and charged with
distribution of marijuana.

He said he could not recall any similar incidents in the school system.

"The only circumstance under which that would have been appropriate would be
if there was an immediate threat to life," Moseley said.