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$300,000 Settlement Reached in Iowa Illegal Strip Search Case

A $300,000 settlement was reached in the Iowa case of an illegal strip search conducted upon three high school students.

The case began in the first week of the 2009 school year. The three girls, Holleigh Jo Jacobsen, Griffin Ferguson, and Paige Brianna Lank, were ordered to submit to a strip search by school authorities. Assistant Principal Paul Croghan ordered the girls strip-searched after being informed by the high school gym teacher that another student was missing $100 from her purse. No money was found in the search.

State education officials stated that Iowa law clearly prohibits school officials from strip-searching students.

The suit was filed in May 2010, claiming violation of the students’ constitutional rights. After an August 2011 mediation meeting, the three families agreed to settle for $100,000 each. See: Jacobsen v. Croghan, U.S.D.C. (D. Iowa), Case No. 1:10-cv-00020-TJS.

Source: The Des Moines Register

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Related legal case

Jacobsen v. Croghan