What! No Hoodies?!!!!?!!!?!
October 3, 2008 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Health
Hoodies banned at some NJ schools, the September 12th NJ.com reported.
Fortunately, not Charlie’s school: What would one do without a soft blue hood to pull over one’s ears and head, whatever the weather? And now that it’s gotten fall crisp and cool, a hooded sweatshirt isn’t just fashion, it’s necessary, especially while waiting for the schoolbus on a misty morning.
We’ve gotten Charlie a new blue hooded sweatshirt as the sleeves on the one he wore up till July are now “bracelet length” on him. The new sweatshirt’s big and floppy and not quite the right fit. But a little room to grow into is good too.
Another case of – punish the good guys for 1 bad guys’ misdeeds – R. i. d. i. c. u. l. o .u. s. !!! and Very SAD !!!
No hoodies at my daughter’s high school either, although they are allowed to wear them as long as the hood is not up. She was quite panicky last year, as they are her favorite fashion accessory.
Fortunately the middle school is not so strict, as having the hood up in the morning is ‘de rigueur’ for Kelly.
And the advantage of a sweatshirt or coat with a hood is that it’s all one piece—whereas, a hat (and gloves…..) can be lost. A few years ago Charlie had a fleece hat that he had to wear (as in he, he was still wearing it in June, and pulled almost over his eyes). How many times did I have to tear apart the couch cushions and look in the car with a flashlight when the hat could not be found.
Sigh. I’ve heard they also outlaw certain “gang” colours and symbols at schools as well. As if I’d know what those are when I went shopping!! I didn’t think the various gangs had official licensed products…?
I’ve also heard in other news stories teachers and children either wearing or being forbidden to wear political gear. And what “causes a disruption” in class would certainly vary by the area the child is wearing the T-shirt in question, I would think.
I’m thinking we either need some common sense or we might as well make all the kids wear uniforms and quit pretending to give any choice in the matter. It just sets up an adversarial atmosphere we’d all rather not have in schools about who gets to wear what when. :]
PS. I like hoodies, and I can see asking for hats and hoods to be removed indoors out of respect for the building, but come on!
Constance has a fleece hat she loves to wear and, so far, we haven’t lost it. But I’d be happier if she was into hoodies since they’re always attached: you’re right that they make a lot of sense for kids who need that sensory comfort.
Heidi currently has a snow hat (fluffy, pink with ear flaps) that she just adores and wears everywhere.
If the snow hat is missing or in the wash I can usually persuade her to leave the house in a hooded jacket. But if she can not cover her ears then she is not going anywhere. Ear muffs don’t work, she likes that fully enclosed feeling.
Australian schools all have uniforms and it will be interesting to see when she hits school age what happens. Hopefully the school will be as understanding of her sound sensitivity and need to be fully enclosed as the PreSchool has been.
Here in Los Angeles it was 74 degrees the other AM and hit 100 and today the high was 74. My asthma is suffering in this weather change. Matt went from wearing shorts and then to wearing pants and jacket in AM.
Is a hoodie the kind that pulls over the head and zippers half way down? My kids never had one, cannot handle that pulling over the head, me neither.
DuckyBoy’s elementary school allows hoodies but no hoods up. he got told that last year — in kindergarten, thanks very much.
Wow, my Andy would be freaking this time of year without his hoodie. With a sniff of chill in the air, he asks for it, and wears it hood-up all day. They have managed to get it off him at school (reluctantly). He hates cold, and I think the hood also helps muffle noise.
@bonnie, that’s a hoodie, by your description!
@janny226, Charlie always has to pull the hood up but he does take it off once he’s inside.
@Joeymom, I do think the hood has noise-muffling properties. Charlie sometimes seems a bit impervious to cold and heat—he’ll still wear the hood up on hot days.
I see that some locales in the UK and Australia also have shopping mall “hoodie bans”.
At least for now Eleanor has grown out of her hooded sweatshirts so we’ll stick to the sweatie track jackets with stand up collars and add a polarplus beret or earband for the cold days–haven’t seen any bans on those yet.
I don’t care for hoodies. (Just a personal thing.) Andy had a hood on his jacket and will put in no matter the weather as well. But we don’t have to wear jackets too often in Florida.