I am an idea person. My brain devours itself. But the ideas that seem to have merit circle back until, like Dr. Jonathan Swift in his Modest Proposal, something clicks and the idea takes on a life of its own.
Love ‘em or hate ‘em, my ideas require serious consideration. They solve the problems they are meant to solve in ways that may surprise, shock, or horrify you, but that make a certain kind of sense and are based on a deep understanding of human nature. So, please, hear me out.
The problem of dress code at my local high school includes students who absolutely refuse to keep their hats and hoodies off of their heads. Why fight it? Let them wear them. The hats and hoods are harming no one and obviously an important part of the students’ male identity. We don’t have a rule against cowboy boots or crocs or uugggly Uggs, so why hats and hoods?
The general thought from adults is that the students can hide and teachers won’t know who they are if they wear hats and hoods. Au contraire, the ones who do it are obviously exactly who we think they are. But, here’s the solution. Hats and hoods on, but like people in tiger-infested areas who wear masks on the back of their heads so the tiger can’t sneak up on them, just make the students wear a mask of their face on the back of their head!
Problem solved. Everyone is happy. Teachers can tell who is under that hat and hood, and students get to turtle to their hearts content.
See what I mean? Simple. Elegant. Commonsensical.
Happy masticating!