Ban on hoodies for high school students among Ascension Parish policy changes

In the upcoming 2023-24 school year, Ascension Parish Public Schools will ban hoodies for students at all four high schools and adopt a clearer policy on searches of students' personal property.

As reported by Baton Rouge media outlets The Advocate and WAFB, the policy states "the student's refusal of the search shall be considered and deemed an admission that the search would reveal" the discovery of the item the student is suspected of having. Such a presumption could lead to discipline.

Under the rules and preexisting law, school officials do not need a warrant but a reasonable suspicion that the student has a specific item, an attorney for the district told The Advocate. Schools would not be able to make sweeping searches of entire groups or searches based on general suspicions.

Regarding the ban on hoodies for high school students, children on pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade campuses will be allowed to wear hooded clothing.