Has the fuss over hoodies gone too far?

The panic over hoodies has reached ridiculous proportions considering countless generations have sported different headgear without any trouble, a children's charity has claimed.
NCH Cymru claimed that most young people were left “mystified” over the fuss over the hooded tops, as a Welsh school followed several shopping centres nationwide in banning the garments because it was difficult to identify troublemakers.
But it has been warned that anoraks, duffel coats, parkas, baseball caps and even the flat caps and rain hats associated with older generations could be used as a cunning disguise under this mode of thinking.
Maesteg Comprehensive has banned hooded tops which some youths use to conceal their identities while involved in crime or anti-social behaviour.
The Bluewater complex in Kent won praise for the ban from Prime Minister Tony Blair last month — and the Deiniol shopping centre in Bangor also claims it led the way in the ban after having trouble identifying youths on CCTV.

Maesteg Comprehensive's decision was elaborated in a school newsletter, where headteacher Anne Carhart wrote, “We are particularly concerned as hooded tops are re-appearing and the hood is being used to hide pupils' identity during unacceptable behaviour.
“All hooded tops will be confiscated and only returned at the end of each half-term.”
Huw Irranca-Davies, the local MP for Ogmore, whose own children wear hoodies, supported Ms Carhart's decision.
“Simple common sense says that when these hoodies are being worn, it makes identification of those people who are causing trouble extremely difficult or even impossible,” he said.

But Leah Savory, NCH Cymru youth worked, said things were going too far.
“On the one hand, we have educationalists and psychologists saying that it is good for young people to express themselves and to be encouraged to tolerate difference.
“On the other hand, adults are actually banning the clothes they choose to wear. We adults can't have it both ways.”
Ms Savory's colleague, Patrick Legge, said, “The kids see it as a fashion thing, it is not usually designed to be threatening or intimidating.
“In the 1970s we wore our parkas to shopping centres or whatever, but now the whole hoodie thing is associated with rap culture.
“But there will come a time when hoodies go out of fashion too, and I guarantee that won't mean crime stops as well.
“I cannot see the logic in school either — it is a kind of stereotyping, that these young people should instantly be associated with anti-social behaviour and criminality.”
NCH warns against the assumption that all young people are too busy getting involved in crime to be concerned about others.

Mr Legge added, “Young people will agree with the official statistics: youth crime has actually fallen over the last 20 years and the overwhelming majority of them are law-abiding citizens who just want to get on with their lives.
“Young people are much more likely than adults to be victims of violence, so good law and order matters hugely to many young people too.”
The debate is set to run and run as different venues and organisations choose whether to enforce a ban.
In the first weekend after Bluewater's ban was enforced, the 330-store centre reported a 23% rise in customers.
But last month, Coombeshead College in Devon bucked a trend by introducing hoodies as part of its uniform.
Principal Richard Haigh criticised “hysterical” stereotyping of hoodie-wearers as thugs.
“Most young people are fine, upstanding citizens, and some of them wear hoodies,” said Mr Haigh.
“Why should they be tarred with this rather hysterical brush?”
First Minister Rhodri Morgan who was at the Urdd Eisteddfod yesterday, said, “I have given an award for citizenship to a 'hoodie' this morning and I was very pleased to do so because you must never categorise young people so dismissively because of a uniform.
“Anti-social behaviour has got to be solved but never categorise young people for a particular type of jersey.

“I have seen the cream of Welsh young people. The future leaders of Wales that I have seen here today has left me very encouraged about the state of the youth in the nation.”

Gareth Morgan
3 June 2005

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