If I could go back in time and find the inventive and creative mind that created this piece of warm clothing, I would cuss him like he ate the last piece of my birthday cake. I own several hoodies, and they are great on a chilly evening as preventers of goosebumps and the common cold. So stylish in many ways is this useful piece of clothing. Everybody wears them, from babies to octogenarians, but as a teacher, hoodies are a thorn in my side.
Years ago, schools weren't concerned with hoodies, but today in the era of school shootings, these are not allowed. Why? The hood obscures the face, and you can't see who it is. It could be a disgruntled parent who wants to go after a teacher or a student who doesn't attend your school. Furthermore, the vast front pocket can conceal weapons, paraphernalia, or other illegal items. Yes, students can bring things into school differently, but not allowing the hoodie can remove one layer of possibility for trouble.
You may believe I hate hoodies because of the previous reasons I explained. But no, that's not it. The students morphed the word hoodie into a curse word on my lips. Daily throngs of teen angst pour into the middle school where I work, and 80 percent wear hoodies. The admin in my building is chasing kids wearing them all day long. I had a child sit with me in ISS (in-school suspension)for two days because he wouldn't take it off.
It's ridiculous that a child loses valuable education for a piece of clothing. I understand the reasoning behind it. Furthermore, the children wear uniforms in my school, so wearing a hoodie is a violation. I work in a low socio-economic status school, meaning most students are considered poor and underserved.
It’s a significant waste of human resources to chase kids about hoodies. My solution is simple. Allow kids to wear hoodies that match their uniform color. If they can't afford school hoodies, have a fundraiser or go to the community for donations. Education is what we should be focusing on and not a piece of clothing. Placing a child in ISS for two days is ridiculous and a disservice to the child.
I understand accountability, and as a former school administrator, I chased kids over clothing items for years. However, as I look back on that time, it was futile. I could have used those hours to build relationships with students or teachers. Accountability is essential, and we must have rules in school, but specific battles are not worth wasting time on.
I don't hate hoodies, but in my school, we need to think of a better way to handle the problem than sitting a kid in ISS all day. This type of stuff is one of the reasons why education is suffering in our country.
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