School board votes to allow principals to search cell phones

A North Carolina school board has adopted a policy which will allow principals to search a student’s cellphone. The Wilson Times reports that the policy adopted this week by the Wilson County Board of Education allows phone searches “whenever a school official has reason to believe the search will provide evidence that a student has violated or is violating the law, board policy, the code of student conduct or a school rule.” Superintendent Lane Mills said principals who cited safety concerns and also said they don’t search cellphones often. Mills also said authorizing the searches is necessary due to a national increase in school violence.