Graduate Hats Potentially Harmful to Students

by michelle.sundvick | May 28, 2008 at 10:43 am

1845 views | 24 Recommendations | 29 comments

The traditional tossing of caps at the end of those lengthy graduation ceremonies has become something all students look forward to. It is a way to symbolize their freedom from the academic degree they've just completed - not to mention a great photo op. Do school officials have a valid argument in saying these hats may cause injury to bystanding students? In some universities across the UK apparently they do...

A university has asked students to refrain from throwing their mortar board hats in the air to celebrate graduation in case someone gets hurt.
Anglia Ruskin University, with campuses at Cambridge and Chelmsford in Essex, said a corner of a mortar board could hit someone as it falls.
Officials made the request in a statement on the university's website.
"It is requested that graduands do not throw their hat up into the air," the statement said.
The site also gives advice on protocol at graduation ceremonies and what to wear but makes a special plea about mortar board hat tossing.
"This not only causes damage to the hats but it can also cause injury if the corner of the hat hits the graduand or others who may be nearby," the statement added.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/7423086.stm

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motroutmo

at 13:22 on May 28th, 2008

Webster Groves Missouri USA Class of 2008 Graduation - Hat toss to celebrate 4 years of hard work and accomplishments. No humans or hats were harmed while making these photos :)

motroutmo has contributed a photo to this story.

stephenchang

at 13:37 on May 28th, 2008

Harvey Mudd College - 2008 Graduation

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michelle.sundvick

at 13:46 on May 28th, 2008

haha thanks for the contribution motroutmo! Glad to hear everyone survived the hat toss :)

amyjudd

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 13:48 on May 28th, 2008

michelle.sundvick, I like this story. It's good stuff. I just did this at my graduation in the UK last week! No one said anything to us!

jordan

at 14:04 on May 28th, 2008

OK, so how many people have been injured by flying mortarboard hats? I mean out of the billions who've taken part in grad ceremonies over the years...

BigT

at 19:02 on May 28th, 2008

I've tried to hurt people with those hats - it doesn't work.

BigT

at 19:03 on May 28th, 2008

Maybe if you were a G.I. Joe action figure you could hang yourself.

michelle.sundvick

at 14:15 on May 28th, 2008

I dunnnooo Jordan... I mean those are some pretty sharp corners on those things. Safety does come first.... and we all know it's all fun and games until someone gets an eye poked out :P

DoLLy GiRL

at 14:27 on May 28th, 2008

Before throwing our hats, we were strictly told by the photographer not to throw our hats in the air. So what happened next... majority of us did a count down and threw our hats up! It was the most happiest moment ever. Even our tutors and heads were smiling. Even though it was banned, you could see the head of our campus approved!

DoLLy GiRL has contributed a photo to this story.

Jarrett Martineau

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 14:33 on May 28th, 2008

michelle.sundvick, scary stuff. It's all fun and games til someone loses an eye!

nukemdomis

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 15:03 on May 28th, 2008

michelle.sundvick,

Designate a 'throwing area' and call it a day.

I like this story. It's good stuff.

tinikimages

at 16:19 on May 28th, 2008

Half of our graduating students had already left - so the chance of a stray mortarboard hitting someone in the eye was negligible.

I have not heard of Humboldt State banning this at our graduation ceremonies, nor have I heard any reports of students being injured.

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bp1100

at 16:57 on May 28th, 2008

Ana didn't get to throw her hat at graduation, so we went to the yard to complete the ceremony.

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js_moorman

at 17:16 on May 28th, 2008

I am happy to report no Prattville High School graduates were injured during the hat toss.

danthekingoftv

at 17:42 on May 28th, 2008

672 graduates. No cap-related injuries reported.

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julianw

at 17:47 on May 28th, 2008

graduate hats are lethal, cold-blooded killers.

Akash_k

at 20:25 on May 28th, 2008

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tsgfarnetti

at 03:22 on May 29th, 2008

Graduation in 2006, my final moments in completing my BA in Italian and Marketing.

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slwoody

at 10:12 on May 29th, 2008

Many hats were thrown in the air after this graduation, and I don't recall anyone getting injured by a hat. A couple even went into the crowd!

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slwoody

at 10:15 on May 29th, 2008

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huiyuehin

at 11:19 on May 29th, 2008

You can get hit by a car if you walked outside. There are possible danger anywhere even at home. It is ridiculous to ban mortar board hat throwing as it has long been a tradition. I don't see the reason to do it at the first place but it does symbolise something great. We all do some rituals in our lives at certain points. This ritual should not be banned, however, the university might kindly advise the students to be a little bit more careful to avoid unwanted accident(s).

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beauport

at 12:56 on May 29th, 2008

A great day for the new lieutenants and ensigns as they are commissioned from the US Naval Academy.

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jpmoriarty

at 14:08 on May 29th, 2008

Graduation at the University of Nottingham, 2001

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tsgfarnetti

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 16:28 on May 29th, 2008

michelle.sundvick, I like this story. It's good stuff.

Canis Major

at 04:20 on May 30th, 2008

Aftermath of a graduation ceremony at Bristol Catherdral. UK. University headgear is gleefully tossed in the air to celebrate success after many years hard work.

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red moon design

at 08:24 on May 30th, 2008

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KrisFricke1

at 16:41 on May 31st, 2008

It is common to decorate the mortarboard hats so graduates can be easily recognized by friends and family from a distance -- and also to individualize the wearer in the sea of uniformed graduates.

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Sierra Springs Photography

at 06:37 on June 4th, 2008

No injuries reported at this graduation ceremony. The graduates look forward to this part in the celebration of their graduation. It is a symbol of joy.

Sierra Springs Photography has contributed a photo to this story.

christopher FNS (not verified)

at 11:11 on July 20th, 2008

Why all that fuss about mortar board throwing....all you have to do is protect yourself and others by wearing a helmet under your own mortar board, a good old style british armored iron suit, get maximum liability insurance for the duration of the ceremony, get the best lawyers at hand and then you will be protected like a silly american against all possible damages....except the one you hadn' t forseen and for which you' ll prosecuted anyway...