Staff Editorial: Despite strict enforcement, hat policy provides security


At Hinsdale Central, students are given the option of wearing any hat, as long as it follows the rest of the dress guidelines. Central senior Libby McCarthy said she sees students in hats pretty frequently.
“I would say about three in every ten people wear hats, but there’s almost always at least one person in all of my classes,” McCarthy said. “People just wear hats if they have a bad hair day or it’s just something they’re more comfortable doing.”

However, this freedom can come with potential consequences. Hats can mask a student’s identity from cameras in the school. If for some reason the school needed to identify a student via school cameras, hats or hoods would make the situation more challenging. The school may need to identify a student via cameras due to any sort of altercation, theft, or other reasons for student safety.

But it’s highly unlikely that a student involved in any of the instances mentioned would be in compliance with school policies. In short, if the student is going to steal or start a fight, they would probably wear a hat or hood if they felt comfortable with it, no matter what they were told by staff.

Ultimately, though, the option to wear hats is not worth any student’s safety. If our safety is violated in the

slightest by the ability to wear hats, which it very well may be, then hats should not be an option for students, point blank.

There are some exceptions to the no hats policy. The guideline states that, “Students who must cover their head or observe other dress requirements as part of their religious observance may be exempt from this requirement.” Students are also allowed to wear hats in the case of a medical note. The rule as it is written in the handbook needs to be tightened, outlining every single exception.

With all that is said, the way in which this policy is implemented can be harsh. With one foot in the door, a student can be scolded for wearing a winter hat.

Anyone instructing a student to remove his or her hat should understand the circumstances, and remind politely that they should take it off. Perhaps a sign should be placed in the Main and Prince St. lobbies reminding students that hats are not allowed.

Our school’s policy regarding hats is not too strict. It is implemented to keep us safe, and no bad hair day is anywhere near as important as the school’s security.