What Rights Do Students Have?

Written & Edited by: Vanessa Banos

Students, we all play a crucial role in our government's decison-making. We all have our own discrepancies with school, 12 years dedicated to our intellectual growth. We are the future, but what do they deem so indispensable for us to have that it is WRITTEN? Read to find out.

*Disclaimer: this applies to Florida public schools, and may not apply to you if you aren't A. in Florida, or B. in public school.*

1. Student Immigrants

   1. This is more of a general "To Know" for students who have a complicated citizen status. Regardless of your immigration status, you have the same rights as any other student. If your family is undocumented, the school may not report your family's undocumented status without their consent or a court order. This might be a given, but under the equality act, you may not be expelled for being undocumented.

2. Student Protest

   1. As a student, you have the right to protest, use flyers, wear clothing/accessories that do not break the schools dress-code (ie. inappropriate language, or out of uniform), and verbally state these opinions. This may not be limited even if it is against the school's official public opinion. To elaborate on dress-code, if you are dress-coded, it must be in violation of the dress-code, not for what the message is. Protest varies, if it is considered disruptive to the learning environment like a walk-out, you could be punished.

3. Student Health

   1. Health problems are universal regardless of age, all of us have gone to the nurse and returned with an icepack for a stomach beetle, but you have the right to receive treatment. You are not required to bring a guardian, and students 13 and up have the right to seek medical help for mental illness, alcoholism, drug use, and STDs.

4. Phone Rights

   1. Although you do not have to right to use your phone whenever you please, schools do not have the right to search it without a sanction. School officers(ex. administration, NOT teachers) have the right to use it in a life threatening emergency. Even if you are using you phone when you aren't supposed to, they may not search it because you are disrupting class, your phone also cant be used as leverage to get information. If your phone is confiscated, they also may not use it.

5. Declining Searches

   1. Schools, much like officers, cannot search you without probable cause/a warrant. You can decline to a search even if it's performed by a police officer. Any evidence found on you without probable cause cannot be used in school or court proceedings.