Bengals from Both Angles At Issue: Hats on? Hats off?

Katrina Beier, Staff Writer

Many people may think the rule of not allowing students to wear hats in school is foolish.

Nevertheless, hats are not permitted for multiple reasons, and, with the rise in violence and drug use in some schools, this rule is more significant than ever to protect students.

Students could use hats to hide weapons, drugs, and objects used for cheating.

Small weapons could easily be hidden under a hat unnoticed. This poses a threat to all staff and students because they could possibly be injured by those weapons.

Illegal, underage use of vaping products has risen in teens, and some students may use in school. Hats can provide an easy place for students to hide vaping products, so they can leave class and use them.

Hats could be utilized to hide papers or notes used to cheat on exams and quizzes. Students can simply take off their hat with their notes with all the answers to their exam inside.

Hats are often used to present a gang affiliation which could cause many disturbances within school by promoting gang culture.

With hats in school, students may try to play games of keep away and take each other’s hats and throw them around causing immense distractions in the school.

With hundreds of people in school, if one student gets sick, it often gets around quickly. With the addition of hats, transmission of illnesses or lice may greatly increase.

The only circumstance in which hats should be allowed is for medical or religious reasons. Otherwise we are indoors. Why would students need a hat?

It’s not cold to the point that people need a hat. It is not going to rain in school.

Overall, hats pose a possible threat to staff and students and serve no purpose inside.

Therefore, the rule of not allowing hats in school is completely justifiable.