Final answer:
Precedent from the case New Jersey v. T.L.O. (1985) enables school officials to execute necessary searches to maintain safety and order, which in the context of Safford Middle School, led to the decision to search a student for illicit distribution of prescription drugs.
Step-by-step explanation:
The issue of whether school officials can conduct a strip search of a student suspected of possession and distribution of prescription drugs, a violation of school policy, in relation to the Fourth Amendment, is influenced by legal precedent. The case New Jersey v. T.L.O. (1985) set a precedent which allows school officials to determine whether a search is necessary to maintain school safety and order. In the situation at Safford Middle School, where distribution of prescription drugs was an ongoing problem, the school official named Wilson decided that a search of the student, Savanna, was necessary to address this issue.