The worst thing we've learned is that all we have to say is "we followed standard procedures" and we get a free pass, regardless of how egregious standard procedures or implementations may be.
I think the TSA clerks here can legitimately be charged with child molestation - follow my logic:
When I have been patted down by TSA they are always careful to ask for my consent before they sexual assault me. Since I am past the age of consent I can give it to them. Here the TSA is relying on the parents to provide the consent to sexually assault their child. I don't think a parent can legally give that consent. If I were a DA I would charge both the TSA agent and the parent with criminal child abuse.
The TSA doesn't ask for your consent, they ask for you to understand what they are going to do. They pull out a little card and say "I am required to inform you that ..."
It's obviously not sexual assault under law, since the searches are explicitly authorized by law. Even if the searches as designed were found to be unconstitutional or contradicting other law, that in no way would subject an individual agent following that law to prosecution under the government that gave the agent the orders.
Next time I have to deal with a large, dumb corporation I'm going to write up some policies of my own in advance. That way when they insist I do something dumb I can say, e.g., "I'm sorry, it's our policy that we never reboot computers without written documentation of the necessity."
It would be nice if the reporters put some energy into either asking or researching what "standard procedures" are, and then put that into the story so that the reader might be educated about the rules and policies that we all live under.
You are presuming that the TSA will ever reveal what "standard procedures" are. They're whatever justifies their current behavior, but you can't know, you dirty hippie, because that's national security.
When I have been patted down by TSA they are always careful to ask for my consent before they sexual assault me. Since I am past the age of consent I can give it to them. Here the TSA is relying on the parents to provide the consent to sexually assault their child. I don't think a parent can legally give that consent. If I were a DA I would charge both the TSA agent and the parent with criminal child abuse.