There is a rule in our school that you’re all much aware of. It has begun to die down in some classrooms. However, the teachers don’t even know why the rule exists anymore either, and still choose to enforce it. This is the no hat rule. Schools in Moosejaw and Regina has allowed them and there’s been no problems that I’ve heard of. So what makes our school so different?

Some teachers, not all even know why at all, but some will say reasons like “it’s gang related, I can’t recognize you, and you can’t make eye contact or pay attention” is just an exaggeration and discriminatory that just because someone wears a hat that something like these are gonna happen. For example: That some guy that prefers wearing a Nike hat is going to hurt someone wearing an Under Armour hat? Or that because you have a hat on in class it’s really that hard to recognize you? Some even say it’s disrespectful. However, I think the only disrespect being seen is more towards the student rather than from the student. I believe as long as the hat doesn’t distract the class like flashing lights on them or having offensive writing and symbols for example, they should be able to wear a hat in class. I ask both staff and students this. Has it ever bothered you that someone was wearing a hat outside of school or in school? It’s just another random building right? What difference is there? 

Here’s some history on how this rule came to be. The “no hat rule” has been around for a long time. More during the 1920s where people often worked at coal mines, it was tradition to take off your hat when you enter your home, as so you would not get the table dirty when eating. However, no one really works in coal mines anymore. The rule is vastly outdated and was only kept because of tradition that started over 100 years ago now. We live in a new decade and we’re obeying a rule that doesn’t even make sense in todays time?

My goal here is for you, and everyone here at Greenall to make a choice. To allow a decade outdated, over exaggerated, and forgotten why kind of rule still be kept enforced, or allow change and make our school more diverse?