I don’t wear hats. Tight hats squish my big head and loose ones look awkward on me; hats easily tear out fine hair like the ones on my crown. Truth be told, you’ll never see me in a hat, but something still irks me. As someone who doesn’t care for headwear, I must ask: why aren’t hats allowed in classrooms? 

Removing one’s hat and traditionally holding it flat at one’s side or upon one’s chest is an old-fashioned, yet common way to show respect in the United States and much of Europe. Taking off your hat for a moment or tipping it towards a stranger is also a sign of humble greetings in most of the world. 

So, that makes sense; it’s just a common, harmless and polite tradition. No one seems to mind removing their hats at a memorial, in front of a commanding officer or while in conversation with a stranger for the purpose of maintaining respect. All of those situations, of course, are ones that traditionally demand respect, thus following the tradition of taking off the hat. 

I wonder though, why is it such a big deal to have a hat on in a classroom? What respect does a classroom demand? 

Surely it’s expected that you respect your instructor. There’s no reason not to; they often work really hard for little pay dealing with a bunch of goblins running around the room. In fact, if I ever wore hats, I’m sure I’d remove mine when addressing an instructor directly; nonetheless, the teacher and the classroom are separate entities. 

Is it a school rule? If so, why? Should some antiquated ruling affect the contemporary student body? 

I can understand hoodies because they shroud the face, especially in darker rooms; they also hide earbuds and the like. I can understand overly large hats like sombreros. A baseball cap, though, is no beast that deserves discrimination. 

Is it because the student is in-doors? Who cares!? 

Is it because the teacher says so? What do they care? 

I have no extended will to fight for the right for students to wear polite hats in classrooms should they please, except in the case of which, I do believe students should have said right.