Long John Shivers

by  , Youth Reporter from South Shore School of Leadership

Editor’s Note: The following article was written by a youth reporter who is a graduate of the Urban Youth International Journalism Program.

It’s cold outside, and students are not allowed to wear their jackets in the school.

Some teachers say that hoodies and jackets could mean there is a gang in the school.

Everyone knows gangs have specific colors and symbols that they wear, and the same type of jackets others have sometimes are of the same color and may have the same symbol on them.

So does that mean all students are in gangs?

Sports insignias and certain brands have symbols that are used either to support a team or signal something to a gang.

The teacher says the students who wear these hidden-meaning symbols can put themselves in danger for “false flagging” or wearing the wrong color or symbol around a rival group.

The wrong symbol can start fights or even get a student killed, and they don’t want that to happen.

Others believe students can hide weapons of any kind under their hoodies and jackets, but students can hide things in any part of their clothes, not just their jackets and hoodies.

In theory, one could put a gun in their pants or a knife in their pants pocket.

Unfortunately, there has been violence, the threat of violence and even confiscation of many weapons at the front doors of many CPS schools.

The metal detectors and pat-downs don’t always catch everything so the next step is to prevent them from wearing oversized jackets and hoodies to class.

It makes sense, but there are those who have deeper personal reasons for wanting to cover themselves up all the time.

Some wear their jackets because it’s cold in the schools. It gets very uncomfortable and hard for students to concentrate on learning when they are shivering. Another reason why the student wear their jackets or hoodies is because they might have stains on their shirt and would be embarrassed to show the stained shirt.

It’s high school, and students can be mean at times.

Finally, another reason why students wear their hoodies is because they might have bruises or cuts on their arms and don’t want to call attention to this abuse.

They are going through enough abuse either at home, in the neighborhood, or from a boyfriend or girlfriend.

They don’t need to continue to relive it at school because of nosy classmates.

There are many reasons why students want to wear their jackets or hoodies in school.

Yet the actions of a small minority have ruined it for all students. These reasons above are legit reasons why they should try and rethink this rule.

Though the rule against hoodies is meant to prevent violence, it’s possible it could also cause it when someone makes the wrong comment to the wrong student about a stain on their shirt or a mark on their arm.

A few bad apples have indeed spoiled the bunch, and a mustard stained, cold bunch at that.

Looks like it’s time to invest in long underwear.

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