What is behind the "no hoodies" in some schools?

[3girls1boy]

My kids' middle school is going to ban them and I've never heard any explanation for why. I must be missing something.

[whalemilk]

That is so random. Do they think it's a "gang thing"? I've seen a lot of random, harmless things banned for supposedly being "gang related." The less actual gangs there are at the school, the more bizarre the things banned.

[eclipse]

I wonder if it has to do with teachers being able to identify students from a distance? I think it's silly.

[ziggy]

Our school had valid concerns about wearing hoodies - bulky enough to hide weapons. Only the front entrances had metal detectors, not the back doors. Hoodies were allowed, but you had to take them off at request to prove it was just a hoodie, and nothign else.

This was a high school in south LA though.

[eclipse]

But couldn't you hide a weapon under any bulky sweatshit or jacket? What does the hood have to do with anything?

[acannon]

IAW hiding bulky things in them, but you can also pull the hood up and hide headphones, and at most schools, iPods and MP3 players are also banned. Hoodies weren't banned at my school, but you had to keep the hood down in class.

[eclipse]

That seems like a reasonable rule - but banning them altogether? Ridiculous.

[4evermom]

An extension of a no hats rule? My high school had a no hats rule in the 80's.

[eclipse]

seriously though - what if your ears are cold?

[Marsupialmom]

In part it is the ability to hide your idenity or if you are asleep in class. There are different types of hoodies some are more face hiding than others. So instead of trying to describe or make limits of them they are banning them out right.

In some areas it is a matter of dressing appropraitely for weather--I would be concern on a libility aspect of a chidl overheating if they are wearing them in the hot months. In Dec. they should come off when indoors (IMO). I know the district I am sending one of my children to they see them as outer wear. Not a flat our ban but not to be warn around school unless other wise approved, they are OK with jacket hoodies if cold in class room like sweater.

[kathymuggle]

Oh, for goodness sake.

I think kids should be allowed to wear want they what at school unless it has hate slogans on it or something.

Kathy

[nolansmummy]

we weren't allowed to have the hoods pulled up over our heads when i was in h.s. They were not banned, but teachers would ask kids to pull them down. It was mostly because of head phones, this was pre ipod days, but we were allowed to have discmans at school. Also the sleeping thing. Teachers wanted us to all be awake during class for some reason .

[textbookcase]

Wow, haven't heard of this!

[mar123]

I teach high school. The school bookstore actually sells sweatshirts with hoods, but the kids can't wear the hoods in class. It is for a number of reasons, the biggest one being it is too easy to hide Ipods, MP3 players, even bluetooth headsets. The sleeping thing is another. They can pull the hoods up if they are outside and it is cold, but this is south Louisiana, doesn't get cold that often and when it does most kids hang out inside, LOL. We are supposed to report the kids that have the hoods on in class as a dress code violation- I just tell them to take it off. I pick my battles. The pants below the rear bother me way more than hoods. If I had a dollar for every pair of boxers I have seen, I could retire!

[CarrieMF]

you can also pull the hood up and hide headphones, and at most schools, iPods and MP3 players are also banned. Hoodies weren't banned at my school, but you had to keep the hood down in class.

that's the rule at the highschools here too, they can wear them but hoods must be down.

[Labbemama]

For now my kids are allowed to wear them at school. Same concerns though, hiding weapons and contraband items. They aren't allowed to wear jackets in the building either and it gets pretty cold.

Of course they push the school hoodies with their logo on them as one of the approved items.

[mirlee]

Here, it is a safety issue as well as the iPod/headset issue. Of course, we also have police and metal detectors in our high school. The no-hoodie rule is in every school, public and private, here. They can wear it to school, but they are not permitted to wear the hoodie during school hours.

[eclipse]

Originally Posted by mirlee

Here, it is a safety issue as well as the iPod/headset issue. Of course, we also have police and metal detectors in our high school. The no-hoodie rule is in every school, public and private, here. They can wear it to school, but they are not permitted to wear the hoodie during school hours.

I still don't understand how it's a safety issue in a way that any other baggyish clothes would be.

[Labbemama]

Originally Posted by eclipse

I still don't understand how it's a safety issue in a way that any other baggyish clothes would be.

They have a code against baggy pants too for the same reasons, kids sneaking in guns and knives and stuff. Our school doesn't have metal detectors.

[Marcee]

Our kids can still wear them but the hood must be down while indoors.