Southeast Delco School Board votes to rescind hoodie ban after uproar
SHARON HILL, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- After a four-hourlong emergency school board meeting Wednesday night, the Southeast DelCo School Board voted to rescind its ban on hoodies and hats.
Hundreds of parents and students attended the emergency meeting at Academy Park High School in Sharon Hill, voicing concerns about safety and the issues involved with the new dress code.
The meeting comes after a student protest spiraled out of control Tuesday morning. Students were protesting a new school board policy that banned hoodies and hats.
After a peaceful demonstration, fights broke out inside and outside the school, leading to an all-county police response and the arrest of at least 10 students.
SEE ALSO: Protest over Delco school's ban on hoodies ends in fights, 10 students arrested
"Having all of the riots and everything where the police had to be called in was not necessary," said school board president Theresa Harris Johnson. "You could have asked to meet with administrators...Doing what you did yesterday, you didn't resolve anything."
At the meeting Wednesday, parents and students argued the school board shouldn't have enacted the ban last minute and without warning.
"I do understand why the rule was put in place," said 11th grader Chaniya Harris. "It's just the way they went about it was absolutely horrible and inappropriate. They didn't consider how we felt, they didn't consider our current wardrobes."
Some parents argue they have children who are anemic and need those hoodies to stay warm. Others argue they can't afford new clothes for their children. Many said the school board should tackle larger issues instead like staffing shortages and sanitary concerns at the school.
"I understand that the teachers want the kids to be able to identify the kids, so that's why they wanted the hoodies off completely, but maybe if they just wear the hoodies and have their hoods off, then we can come to an agreement," said parent Tawana Wilson.
The board voted to rescind the vote as long as students self-govern and keep hoodies down during class.
