WORCESTER, Mass. – Students at two Worcester high schools can no longer wear hoodies on campus after officials announced a dress code change just days before the start of school.

The hoodie ban, of course, has students up in arms, and they’re voicing their frustrations through the news media and social media, as well as an online petition that quickly gaining supporters, WCVB reports.

School officials at Burncoat High School and South High Community School announced students can no longer wear hooded sweatshirts to school and allege the decision is aimed at curbing gang activity and school violence.

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They contend the move was suggested by local police because hooded sweatshirts are worn by gang members, and are convenient for concealing weapons or obscuring one’s identity.

“Principals were looking at all ways they could prevent youth violence in the schools,” district safety liaison Robert Pezzella told the Telegram & Gazette. “We consulted with the police, and they recommended we pay attention to the hoods.”

“On the safety front, the most important thing is they’d be hard to identify” if there’s violence or other issues, he said.

South High principal Maureen Binienda said students also use hoodies to conceal headphones in class, going as far as to fully cinch the draw cord so “all you can see is their eyes and nose.”

The ban is about more than just safety, it’s about teaching students life lessons, she said.

“You can’t even go into a bank today and have hoods on your face,” Binienda told WCVB. “How many people go to professional jobs, and go to jobs with their hooded sweatshirt on? Nobody.”

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Students think those reasons are lame, and complained they had already purchased back-to-school clothes by the time school officials announced the hoodie ban.

“I think it’s honestly bizarre – it’s kind of ridiculous,” Burncoat senior Jazlyn Borrero said. “They announced it the first day, and everyone was shocked. Seventy-five percent of the school wears hoodies every day.”

“I bought a whole bunch of hoodies,” junior Yamileika Rosario said. “Now I can’t wear them to school.”

School committee members took issue with the timing of the ban, as well.

“The way that played out, when it was announced within 48 hours of the opening of school, there was no explanation given to students,” committee member Tracy O’Connell Novick said.

Novick said she’s concerned with how the ban “came into being.”

Fellow committee member Dianna Biancheria also commented about the hoodie ban at a meeting last Thursday, according to the Telegram.

“I think it’s something we need to look further into,” she said. “I understand the kids are uncomfortable with this, but I also understand the safety factor.”

Some students told WCVB they initially hated the hoodie ban, but are now a little more understanding.

“It was really dumbfounding,” one student told WCVB. “At first, most of us were angry, especially me.”

“I started to look back and think about it, and think about all the prior incidents that happened in all of the other Worcester Public Schools and I started to realize it’s actually a safety precaution.”

“At first I was like ‘Why?’ because it’s cold,” another student said. “But then I think it’s much safer because someone might hide a weapon or something to try to harm us.”