Hats off to SPASH?
October 27, 2016
By JOSH ANDREWS
The Mirror reporter
High school is a time to express yourself in many different ways, or at least try to. In this day and age, hats have a much more significant way of expressing one’s identity. They may complete the outfit that you plan to wear.
At Stevens Point Area Senior High (SPASH), wearing hats is something that should not be frowned upon. Students should be able to express themselves and being able to wear hats is a way of doing so.
Hats can show what sports team you support, races or events you have competed in, places you have gone, and hint at what you might like to do in your free time.
Principal Jon Vollendorf said that with a student body this size, it would be very challenging to monitor if students are following the policy of wearing appropriate.
But, if teachers can monitor the dress code, can’t they can monitor hats as well?.
Also, the students at SPASH are very different than other high schools around the state. Instead of abusing the power, the student body would appreciate the ability to wear hats at school and make sure it stays that way by not abusing that privilege.
Another reason why hats are banned at school, is that hats promote a more casual, or informal ambiance at school. However, it does not distract from learning, which is different than a causal learning experience.
Gang culture is often associated with wearing hats in school. I have not seen, or heard of any gang-related activity in the Stevens Point area for all my life. I do not believe that gang culture would be an issue at SPASH if hats were to be allowed.
Overall, I think hats should be allowed during school because it allows students to express themselves and it would be one more privilege that makes SPASH great.
Sean Cordy • Oct 31, 2016 at 2:55 AM
A few critiques from a SPASH alum and journalism major:
Even though this is an opinion piece, you should still be bound to journalistic guidelines. Not only will your structure be better, but your argument will be taken much more seriously.
You said that Principal Vollendorf said he doesn’t believe that teachers could enforce a hat rule (yet this remains an issue that is seemingly enforced and was while I was a student). That implies that he would do away a hats off rule. But then you undermine this implication citing the dress code that teachers well-enforce.
But the greatest flaw here is the presumptions made not only about SPASH but of other schools.
If you’re to make a claim about a group of people, it should have proof and citations for it. What schools in the state are known to “abuse power”? Is that the general consensus of the SPASH student body? If it is, find a quote from at least two people. If that’s all that is used, then at the very least, a quote from another school district should be gathered.
The same goes for claiming wearing hats to be banned because of the casual appearance it gives. But the greater concern is citing gang affiliations with hats and moreover, saying SPASH is impervious to having such a group having never encountered such a problem. Having pride in your school is great, but this is a bit narrow-minded and it’s a logical fallacy to say that wearing hats would cause concern that gangs would form — they will form with or without hats.
Just my two cents. I’ve been raised to always take my hat off, so that’s me. But there is a case to be made for complete freedom of headwear (as there is a bit of a double standard impacting guys more than girls) it just needs to be better constructed.