Topeka, Kansas. Parents in Topeka are raising serious civil liberties concerns after police officers entered Topeka High School earlier this month, seized student cellphones, and demanded passcodes without notifying families before or after the incident. The action occurred on Dec. 8, when officers arrived with a warrant tied to a homicide investigation connected to a nearby party attended by several students.
According to parents, students were pulled from class and questioned directly by police while school administrators allowed the process to proceed. The warrant reportedly listed 20 students by name and included personal details such as race. Parents say neither the school district nor the Topeka Police Department contacted them, despite district policy encouraging parental notification prior to questioning.
Tamika Zollicoffee, whose 16-year-old son was among those questioned, said the experience was deeply troubling and potentially harmful. She argued that the inclusion of multiple student names on a single homicide-related warrant created long-term risks, including reputational harm and safety concerns. Another parent, Tyshika Jones, said her daughter repeatedly asked to contact her but was denied by an officer who confiscated the phone.
Civil rights attorney Lauren Bonds of the National Police Accountability Project said Kansas law offers limited Fourth Amendment protections for students in such cases, even though courts may still question how the warrant was executed. Parents also raised concerns about racial disparities, noting that nearly all students listed were Black.
The school district has not responded publicly, while city officials cited the ongoing judicial process in declining comment.
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