Gov. Andrew Cuomo Calls for Investigation Into Alleged Strip-Search at Middle School

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo called for the state's Education Department to investigate an incident where four black female middle school students were allegedly strip-searched for drugs because they were acting “hyper” during their lunch, The Press & Sun-Bulletin reports. “The allegations that 12-year-old girls were strip-searched for drugs after being perceived as ‘hyper and giddy’ at a Binghamton middle school are deeply disturbing and raise serious concerns of racial and gender bias,” Cuomo said in a statement Wednesday. “Asking a child to remove her clothing—and then commenting on her body—is shaming, humiliating, traumatic sexual harassment.” The four students from Binghamton's East Middle School and their parents reportedly claim the girls were questioned and strip-searched on Jan. 15 by the school nurse and the assistant principal after they appeared “giddy” during their lunch break. The school district reportedly denied a strip-search occurred, and it hired a third-party firm to conduct a “full and objective assessment.”