20 Times Schools Implemented Such Dumb Rules, Students Remembered Them Years After They Graduated

Sometimes, we would encounter rules that are quite reasonable, and we would wonder what happened that pushed the rule to be made. If a rule sounds so common, then it probably had a common sense idea behind it. But if it sounds edgy? Yeah, something edgy must have gone on.

#1

Image source: thelastdodobird01, bd914

No water bottles because a few girls 4 years ago snuck vodka into the bathroom.

#2

If you were absent too many days out of the year you got a 2 day suspension. Nothing like kicking kids out of school for not being in school.

Source: Wubz_Jackson

#3

Image source: Whose_cat_is_that, Ralf St.

In primary school, we weren’t allowed to use erasers. We were never told why.

#4

Image source: gouwbadgers, Alvin Mahmudov

We couldn’t wear winter clothing in class (coats, gloves, hats). Even with the heat on, it got cold in the winter inside the school so we just had to freeze. They said it was because winter clothing were gang symbols. This was a farm town in Wisconsin.

#5

The boys weren’t allowed to wear shorts at my middle school, but the girls could wear ‘culottes’ (basically shorts with a fancy name). One day about a hundred boys came to school wearing culottes. The Man had it stuck to him hard that day

Source: ShavenWookie

#6

Image source: punkterminator, gfpeck

We weren’t allowed to be indoors for more than five minutes at recess. This was in Canada and indoor recess started when it was below -25C. Instances of school-wide diarrhea really shot up during the winter.

#7

At an all girls high school: No ankle socks because ankles can attract boys and make them have sex with you.

Ankles lead to legs. And legs lead to…. up there…. and we ALL know what’s in that area.

(which also, according to the school was rape on the girl’s part because you were making the boy want to have sex with you and boys, as you know, cannot resist so….)

Source: scarfknitter

#8

Image source: TheHolyZarquon, Wendy Harman

Clear or mesh backpacks only. This was from 1st grade through high school in the late 90s to early 2000s.

We also had to wear a safety vest as our bathroom pass in high school. It was such a joke that the first year the rule was introduced, our year books were a giant safety vest on the outside. Honestly the thought of a shared unisex safety vest for bathroom visits still grosses me out as I know those things were never washed properly.

Edit: This was before Columbine happened.

#9

Image source: xxSovietRaptorxx, Yogendra Singh

In elementary school, we couldn’t kick a ball at recess because the school was afraid we would kick the balls to the top of the building.

#10

Image source: StrangeJourney, Eren Li

No gloves, because only gang members wear gloves.
It’s freezing cold and your gloves are bright pink? Take them off before someone thinks you’re a member of the notorious pink gloves gang.

#11

Image source: i-ate-birb

In middle school, if we said sorry we got in school suspension. The teachers claimed that apologizing is a form of lying and lying is bad.

Edit: We also weren’t allowed to have water bottles or to to a water fountain. The only time we got a chance to drink was during our lunch. We could also only to go the bathroom once a semester, or we would be have in school suspension.

#12

Image source: cakefaice1, Joe Wolf

In middle school, had a stupid as all hell “one way hallway system”, where students could only walk in the halls one direction. Made me late twice actually since my class was the first one behind the exit door, but forced to go in the entrance door. Was enforced even when halls were empty. One stick in the mud teacher threatened to write me up if I questioned the rule.

#13

My middle school had a rule; if you were sent to the office for misbehavior, you remained in the office for the rest of the day.

Knowing this, my first period teacher found every escuse to send me to the office. I missed all of my lessons and nearly failed 7th grade.

Source: Warlokthegreat

#14

Image source: MyrMilfordMeanswell, Spikeball

We could not touch each other. All physical contact was banned.

There was one teacher that claimed if it wasn’t for this rule, we would all be running around raping each other. Ah, yes, truly the time of my life.

#15

In high school we had what they called “lock-out”. If you were 1 second late for class the teachers would lock the doors and you were supposed to go to the cafeteria to get a detention for being late. Instead of getting a detention I would just leave school and skip the whole day and not get in any trouble. All because I was a few seconds late for class. Pretty dumb.

Source: anon

#16

In high school, they tried to implement a rule that guys weren’t allowed to wear pink that was definitely targeted at a guy who was “one of the freaky people” who would wear a pink hello kitty shirt to school. It didn’t work, though, because a large portion of the guys came in the next day wearing pink (including a lot of the football players, which shocked me a little) and the decision was overturned before the day was over.

Source: srentiln

#17

Image source: dougiebgood

No Simpsons anything. This was when it premiered, and there was this national scare that Bart was a bad influence. There were to popular Bart shirts that were banned, one that said “I’m Bart Simpson, who the hell are you?” and another that said “Bart Simpson, underachiever and proud of it”

This eventually evolved into banning all Simpsons shirts, school supplies, stickers, etc. after some of the teachers started watching the show.

#18

Image source: TheenotoriousVIC, madaise

Couldn’t wear flip flops because they were considered a weapon but you could wear stiletto heels…

#19

I wore the skull misfits shirt and they called me to the deans office and told me to turn it inside out. They said it was because it represented death.

I said “so it represents something that inevitably happens to every person, so I’m not allowed to wear it?” Then walked out. Never caught any flak for it, was pretty proud of my punk 16 year old rebellious self.

Source: Mastadfosho

#20

Image source: proof_by_abduction, RODNAE Productions

My middle school banned hugs. At least, they banned front hugs–the rule was against “chest to chest” contact, regardless of context or gender. No chest bumps after a game. Several girls got in trouble for hugging their female friends goodbye after school. It was a strange place.

Edit: To clarify, this was a public school in a suburban area in a liberal part of the country (US). I don’t remember whether there was a ban against hugs from behind–I’ll try to ask some old classmates when I get home and update if any of them remember.