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Hats off, please, at 3V schools
Dress code policy being enforced
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Neither students nor staff will be found inside Three Village schools anymore wearing hats. A decision prompted by law enforcement recommendations has led to the district strictly enforcing a dress code requirement often ignored in recent years.
"Hats are not intended to be worn inside," said interim Superintendent Don Webster this week regarding the ban. Webster said police have urged schools to prohibit the headwear since, in some districts — "not necessarily here," said Webster — hats, bandanas, do-rags and the like have become symbols for allegiances that could promote conflict. Webster used the example of a Yankees cap to a Mets fan, but police have found in other areas of Long Island less benign affiliations, for example between rival gangs.
The prohibition "has been in the Code [of Conduct] for some time," Webster said, adding that since the decision was announced a few weeks ago "99.9 percent of kids — and staff too — understand and have been cooperative."
One Ward Melville High School senior questioned the ban at last week's school board meeting. Jonathan Horn asked the board during the public portion of the meeting to explain the decision to enforce the code. Horn said he and other Ward Melville students feel they should be permitted to don headwear. President David Micklos responded by noting the existing code restriction and added the opinion that hats "distract" students and, "It's not necessary" to wear them. Webster told Horn most districts don't permit wearing hats in school.
Asked this week if gang activity was a problem in Ward Melville or elsewhere in the district Webster said, "Not to my knowledge." He said cold-weather gear such as ski caps could be worn in the door but security staff at every school building will remind the student to remove it upon entering. The ban applies to all eight school buildings in the Three Village district.
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