News
Primary Students Wear Social-Distancing Hats to Chinese School
First graders in China wear hats to remind them about social distancing in school
It's the first time in months that schools are trying to reopen in China, taking all sorts of measures to maintain social-distancing amongst children. One such school in Hangzhou is in news for making its young students wear special headgears to class, reminding them to keep a 1-meter distance from one another.
Interestingly, the hats are designed and made by the students themselves with help from parents. In fact, they’re supposed to wear them upon their return to school as well.
Made of cardboard, balloons, and other materials, these caps create a 1-meter buffer zone around each of the first to third graders.
"We're advocating students to wear a one-meter hat and maintain one meter's distance," Principal Hong Feng told Zhejiang Daily newspaper.
The hats have a historical precedent in the headwear of Song dynasty officials.
Designed by Song founder, Emperor Taizu, those hats had long flaps sticking out from either side to prevent officials from whispering/plotting to one another during court assemblies. In short, these hats were originally designed for social distancing only. Such an interesting fact!