Are students given the full benefit of their rights?

K-9 sponsored drug searches, pat downs, and bag checks are just some of the ways that students are interrogated about, and  searched for illegal substances. If found with illegal substances in their possession  they are charged, and disciplined. This part of the process usually conjures up images of students fleeing down the hallways (in order to escape capture and punishment), and administrative adults sprinting after them. However, according to an article on the Chicago Tribune's website, more students confess to their wrongs and show the administrators where the substances are. They believe that they will get a less harsh punishment by confessing, so they do so, but without parents or attorneys present. Most students would also believe that they are allowed their full rights in these situations, but they actually are lacking those very things.

Students in these cases are not read Miranda, and often have no search and seizure rights. Most also don't even think to ask for a parent or lawyer to be present, as they would in any other type of interrogation situation.  Granted, most of these searches and interrogations are caused by suspicion, but that does not make any student who is subjected to this kind of situation have any more rights. They are deprived of bits of their freedom, which is a disgrace! 

 Is it really acceptable for school administrators to have the same power as a police officer? Or is it a necessary evil that is only there to keep questionable students in line? If a student confesses, should this grant them a more lenient punishment, or should it be the same so that they would never do it again? What do you think?