As "persons" under the Constitution of the United States, students are protected from unreasonable search and seizure by state, federal, or school officials. At the same time, however, school officials have the duty to maintain a safe environment in which education is possible. In recent decades there has been some controversy over the subject, sparking several cases against schools that have gone all the way to the Supreme Court. Decisions made by the nine members of the Supreme Court have lead to numerous laws which clearly define legal procedures for search and seizure. Also in recent decades, a problem has arisen in which many students have brought weapons to school such as laser pointers, knives, and even guns. In the 1990s specifically, there have been several incidents in which students have developed grudges against their fellow classmates and brought guns to school, proceeding to open...