Hats in school: cap or no cap
March 23, 2022
Picture this: You wake up late for school, but your hair is acting up. You do not have the choice to throw on a hat to cover it up because of the “no hats in school” policy. But what if that could change?
Jenison argues that hats can cause a big distraction to those around us. They can also obstruct the camera’s view of students’ faces and create a safety hazard in the building. “It makes no sense. There are no cameras in the classrooms, and masks pose the same threat,” says Emma Norman, a Senior at Jenison. “If you are having a bad hair day, hats can easily solve it. That’s part of the reason why I wear them a lot.”
So what are other schools’ opinions about hats? Sheridan is a Junior at Calvin Christian High School, and she states “They changed the policy this year. You can wear hats but not hoods.” Alysa is another Junior from Zeeland who says “Most teachers don’t care, so people always wear them.” However, others may disagree.
Some may argue that it is less about the actual hat, and it is more about respect. “If the students are willing to cooperate with the teachers about hats, then there shouldn’t be an issue,” says Jenna Kellogg, a Junior at Jenison. “But if they decide to argue and refuse to take it off, then it becomes an issue.”
But Emma Norman has a story to share about her experience with the enforced hat policy. “I see kids in crop tops that expose their whole stomachs, which is also against the dress code, but teachers don’t do much about it. But as soon as a kid wears a hat it’s the end of the world. I have been chased through the hallway by teachers yelling at me to take off my hat. Is it that big of an issue? It got to the point where the administration sent me home from school because I was wearing a hat. It’s absurd the lengths they’ve been willing to go to enforce this specific rule, all because it’s a part of the dress code.”
Even some teachers here at the high school are comfortable with wearing hats at school while they teach. One of the classroom’s temperatures decreased to as low as 65 degrees Fahrenheit. This encouraged the teacher to wear hats and even hoods during school hours. Would it still be acceptable to hold that double standard to Jenison students?
Although there are reasonable points on both sides of the argument, it is logical to state that hats should be allowed to some extent. Students should have the freedom to express themselves and enhance their style. It seems that crop tops tend to be a much bigger issue than hats. Since hats prove to be a smaller distraction and more beneficial, why not let this one slide?