High School Adopts Compromise on Hats
Students at Birmingham High School in Van Nuys, who last week skipped classes to protest the school’s ban on hats, may now wear hats one day a week under a measure approved Monday by a school leadership council.
Students, supported by Principal Henry Gradillas, were disappointed that the council did not vote on a motion that would have allowed unrestricted hat-wearing.
The leadership council--composed of students, teachers, and school employees--instead passed the substitute measure by a vote of 8 to 4, with three abstentions. It allows students to wear hats only on weekly “spirit days” designated by the student council, a trial measure that will be reviewed in June, Gradillas said.
The previous principal of the 3,000-student school banned hats last fall because, he said, students often wore them to identify themselves as gang members.
Student council member Jamie Barmach said students might stage another walkout to protest the once-a-week hat measure.
After last week’s walkout, Gradillas announced his support for the students and pledged to back the student-sponsored hat measure.
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