I woke up late, my hair’s a mess and I just want to put my hood on to feel a little bit more comfortable, but I can’t. 

According to the Londonderry student handbook, headwear is acceptable so long as it doesn’t cover the face and ears and “hoods are not permitted in an academic setting.” While understandable, this rule is becoming a bigger deal than necessary.

At most, hoods cover the side of the face but the front is still visible. While there are hoodie that zip up in the front to completely cover the face, it’s not like those are something that being worn commonly. Hoods are a part of the item of clothing and it doesn’t make sense to not be allowed to use the full hoodie. It’s there for a reason.

If the student’s head is up and paying attention, how they choose to be comfortable shouldn’t matter. Hoods are used for comfort. If a student has to wake up at 6 a.m. for school, they more often than not want to be comfortable. But they have to worry about the teachers and admin telling them “no.” It’s a part of the sweatshirt. Why should it be an issue? 

It would be one thing if a hood was so large that it covered the majority of a student’s face. Teachers might find it more difficult to connect with a student who they can barely see. Or they might think the student isn’t engaged in the class. I do see how hoods can be large and cover a majority of the students’ faces and the teachers might not be able to connect with the students because it makes teachers feel a lack of “engagement”.

Students can still pay attention and get work done with their heads down or their hoods on. I understand it is kind of rude but let’s be real, kids still pay attention with their hoods on. If they don’t, it’s the student’s fault.  If a student isn’t paying attention in class, then that behavior should have a disciplinary consequence, whether they have a hood on or not. If the student constantly has their head down, then it becomes an issue because they aren’t paying attention. 

Admin might think security is an issue. If a student walks in the halls with their head facing the ground, it’s hard to see identification. However, the school’s security system should be secure enough that isn’t an issue. There are several cameras in the building, so it’s not like they only catch a side or back view of a person.

Comfort is key, and hoods are used as “security blankets” for most. According to The University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2015, studies showed that it’s easier to stay productive and focused with a hood on. ADHD kids use hoods to block out the side view to stay focused. It helps cover everything around you and lets you focus on what’s going on in front of you. 

The student handbook states that headwear can be worn unless it covers ears and face but beanies cover the ears, hair covers the ears, baseball caps can cover the ears. So why are all these appropriate but hoods aren’t? 

So as long as kids are paying attention, Just let them keep their hoods on.