Public School Search Policies and the “Politics of Sin
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6328231 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Joe Blankenau, Mark Leeper, Mark Stephen Leeper |
| Year | 2003 |
| Volume | 31 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 565-584 |
| Publication date | 2003-11-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Policy Studies Journal (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0190-292X • E-ISSN: 1541-0072 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/1541-0072.00043 |
| OpenAlex | W1987429885 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 15 |
In recent years, high school students have been subjected to greater levels of drug searching and surveillance on school grounds. The effect of such searching is potentially wide‐ranging, because public schools “play an important role in socializing students according to the norms and mores of society” (Vergari, 2000). Using the “morality politics” framework, this study reports and analyzes the presence of random, suspicionless drug searches in the Nebraska public schools. Whereas most studies of morality policy have focused on the state as the unit of analysis, we consider the perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors of principals in regards to drug policies in schools. Our findings, based on a survey of 181 high school principals, reflect several features of morality policy. There has been a significant rise in the number of random drug searches, despite the principals’ observation that these measures neither lessen drug use nor catch perpetrators. The most important predictors of drug policy are pressure from local sources, perception of the problem within the community (but not the schools), and the racial composition of schools. Principals articulate limited concern for student rights, and students largely accept searches without resistance. In the discussion, we consider these findings in light of recent court rulings and introduce the potential ramifications of waging the drug war in our nation's classrooms and hallways
Criminology · Morality · Mores · Perception · Political science · Politics · Public policy · Public relations · Sociology · Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis · Education Discipline and Inequality · Law · Psychology · Public Administration · School Choice and Performance
The politics of sin
Culture Wars
Politics, Markets and America's Schools
The Politics of Morality Policy
The Politics of Gay and Lesbian Rights
Size Doesn't Matter
Drugs, Sex, Rock, and Roll
Assessing Determinants of Bureaucratic Discretion
The Meanings of Occupational Prestige
Bridging the chasm between policymakers and educators
The Kanawha County Textbook Controversy
| Unique citing works | 2 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,12 |
| Citation span | 2009 - 2014 (6) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 2 |