South Dakota is undoubtedly infamous for its impressive arctic-like climate during wintertime, along with various other record-breaking weather catastrophes. One thing that this corn-inhabited state has in common with LHS is that the heat never seems to be turned on during the bitter winter months. On Tuesday, Jan. 3, the low in Sioux Falls was -2 degrees and felt like -17 degrees with the wind chill. However, this didn’t stop the LHS administration from enforcing a new rule: no blankets, coats, hats or gloves are allowed to be worn indoors and carrying these items or storing them in backpacks is equally a violation.

The likeliest explanation for this rule could be related to safety issues involving weapons. The administration may be worried that a student could be hiding a tool of destruction in their coat or some other form of winter gear. I strongly believe that if coats are banned for this reason, then so should backpacks. If a student can’t hide a gun in their coat, then they shouldn’t be given the opportunity to hide it in their backpack. Carrying cases for instruments should be banned for the same reason, along with various other items such as water bottles, purses, shoes, chromebook cases and heck, maybe even the chromebooks themselves. If an individual wishes to cause a massive amount of harm to other students at school, they will get creative with it. A coat ban simply won’t discourage them from committing a horrendous crime.

As somebody with poor circulation, I’m always wearing a coat. I’m freezing all of the time, my aching hands are usually a faded grayish-purple shade, icy to the touch due to the lack of blood flow. Either that, or my cold heart is cooling down my core temperature. Either way, my body simply doesn’t retain heat and a coat is necessary for my survival. Because I’m also habitually barely on time for school and have to walk to my first period class from Arcadia, I have to wait for my entire body to dethaw, although walking through the doors of this glorified meat locker does little to help me warm up. Usually I rely on my heavy coat and cup of coffee to bring my core temperature up to a functioning level, which for me, is still a level that requires a heavy layer in order to maintain warmth.

I just don’t have the energy to die of hypothermia inside my own school, unless LHS is willing to cover the costs of my funeral. Then by all means, have at it. My only request is to be buried in my winter jacket.