This year, Loyola Academy announced that students could wear any Loyola sweatshirt on Fridays starting September 23 up until spring break in April.
Previously, Ramblers could only wear non-uniform Loyola sweatshirts on Fridays in the last quarter of the school year, so the new policy has allowed for plenty more opportunities to wear hoodies without receiving a JUG.
Although the new policy has increased the number of days students can wear hoodies, students are still left wondering why they cannot wear hoodies all year round.
As a Rambler student, I’ve noticed that hoodies get a “bad reputation” amongst some of the adults in the building, but many students claim that wearing their favorite sweatshirt or hoodie can improve their mood, productivity, and ability to learn.
Comfortable clothes can lift your mood. Students at Loyola Academy are no different. At least half of the student population wears their Rambler-branded hoodies on Fridays, so students must find joy in wearing a Loyola-branded sweatshirt. Even still wearing the rest of the regulated uniform, students find comfort in wearing their sweatshirts.
It is also shown that schools that allow hoodies or a more relaxed dress code see a large decrease in dress code violations and disciplinary issues. Allowing hoodies at Loyola Academy full-time could potentially decrease a large number of dress code violations altogether.
However, there are issues with sweatshirts in professional places like school or work. Hoodies often are associated with laziness, unprofessionalism, and other negative stereotypes stemming from older generations and other cultures.
Even though hoodies have evolved into a statement piece for millions of teens, adults, and even some elderly across the country, they are still not considered “professional” or “appropriate attire” when at work or in a private school like Loyola Academy.
Loyola also has plenty of regulated options like “fleeces, crewnecks, pullovers, and full zip jackets” according to the Student Handbook that can be worn throughout the school year instead of other Loyola hoodies that cannot be worn through most of the year.
Rambler students also have plenty of opportunities to wear hoodies throughout the year during events like Dollar Dress Down Days, Spirit Week, and Deck Out Day (wearing a Ramblers-themed outfit).
Loyola has done a great job listening to the student body and giving students more days to wear their hoodies. However, students still want more.
A solution that allows students to wear sweatshirts while also maintaining professionalism during the days that students cannot wear hoodies is to simply make more options that students can wear daily.
Currently, there are four different options of warmer attire for students to wear. They each are marked with the Loyola Crest to show they are a part of the uniform.
If we expanded the two popular options worn around school (adding more colors, designs, etc.) students could find a style they feel comfortable in while also pleasing the Loyola Academy administration.
