New York Times, December 16, 2000

Parents Sue School for Strip Search
By The Associated Press,

STEPHENVILLE, Texas (AP) -- The parents of a 10-year-old boy who was allegedly strip searched by school employees looking for cigarettes have sued the school district.

According to the lawsuit, filed Thursday in U.S. District Court, the boy was strip searched by a teacher at Gilbert Intermediate School at the request of a school security guard who suspected the boy had cigarettes. Another teacher also witnessed the search.

Roger and Teresa Salter, who contend their son's constitutional rights were violated, say the boy had been questioned and patted down before the alleged strip search on Sept. 29. Nothing was found in any of the searches, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit says the boy suffered psychological damage from the search. Unspecified damages were being sought.

Superintendent Darrell G. Floyd said the district's guidelines for searches complied with state law and such searches are not common.