Jail trip pupils 'strip searched'

The visit was intended as a deterrent for misbehaviour

A school visit to a jail in the United States has ended in recriminations and suspensions after several of the teenage pupils were strip searched.

The school trip to a jail in Washington DC was intended as a cautionary lesson in what could happen if youngsters misbehaved and got into trouble with the police.

But the programme of field trips to the city jail has now been suspended after reports that up to nine of the pupils from Evans Middle School were strip searched by prison staff.

After telling a press conference that he was "horrified by the chain of events", the school superintendent Paul Vance announced an investigation, suspensions of staff and the setting up of a counselling team for children and families involved.

The investigation will study claims that pupils were told by jail warders to take off their clothes "like real prisoners".

"There's nothing a child could do that could warrant that response," said Steven Seleznow, who is investigating the incident for the education authority.

A teacher and an assistant have been suspended during the investigation - and it is believed that a number of staff at the jail will also face disciplinary procedures over "errors of judgement".

'Sensitivity training'

Trips to the jail had been developed as part of a project for pupils who had been suspended, as an attempt to discourage teenagers from a life of crime.

But Mr Vance said that he "sincerely regretted" what had happened and promised that parents and pupils would be advised of developments in the inquiry - and that a team of 10 counsellors would be available to the school.

The local authority - District of Columbia Public Schools - said it was considering "sensitivity training for all personnel on appropriate classroom behavior management".