Unreasonable school rules

The students in my secondary school weren't allowed enter the school through the main doors at the front of the school - only the teachers were allowed - we had to walk all the way around the back of the school (a pretty large building) to get in one of the back doors.

We had a one way system - understandable at busy times - but a pain in the arse when you were the only one in the corridor and a teacher would spot you and send you back the whole way around the school.

For PE, we used to have to wear white polo shirts, and were only allowed wear white bras under them.

They were very strict about enforcing the school uniform. I remember a girl in sixth year got pregnant, due just after the leaving cert. A few weeks before she was due, her parents approached the school and asked could she wear a different skirt, or trousers, as the school skirt was too tight and uncomfortable and they couldn't afford €130 for a new one, especially when she'd only be in the school a couple more weeks. The school wouldn't compromise at all - the girl was told she should have considered that problem before she got pregnant! :eek: (As you may have guessed, it was a Catholic school, and the principal was a nun.)

When tamagatchis were in fashion, one particular teacher used to love confiscating them and feeding them just enough to keep them alive, but sick and hungry and unhappy. Funny looking back, but kind of sadistic too!

They tried to introduce a rule that we weren't allowed into town at lunch/after school while wearing our uniforms. This one was never really enforced - I mean, how could they enforce it!

They turned a blind eye to the dozens of girls who'd spend their breaks smoking in the bicycle sheds - on the condition that they weren't seen smoking outside of school grounds while wearing the uniform. Some of the teachers would even join them!

One teacher had a rule that if you didn't do your homework, you had to redo it three times the following night, along with your regular homework. And this woman was terrifying - no one would ever dare not do it! (It was effective - after having to rewrite it three times one night, I never skipped my Irish homework again!)

There were two really old-school teachers, both men, with awful tempers ... when they got pissed off they'd start overturning desks and chairs, and firing markers etc at us. Of course we'd purposely provoke them just to get a reaction.

They had a rule that we weren't allowed get end-of-year presents for the teachers - we found that one hilarious, because it's not like we were ever tempted to!

Egginacup wrote: »

DVDs if you were not in class? What?

If you were late did school? What?

Wearing any coats other than the €80 school cost was forbidden? What?

If if was a cold day, tough? What?

Did you graduate from this school?

Not sure if this is an English teacher trying to be funny or the typical unoriginal boring as f*ck grammar nazi providing free spell checks to strangers on the internet. Ill go with the latter.

The uniform which crushed the unique flower of my individuality under the fascist jackboot of conformity.

I'm writing an Anne Frank style opus based on my memories of it.

I went to some of my years of school in England. We had to wear blazers with the school crest on them. Even in the height of summer (summer holidays in England are only 6 weeks long) we had to wear it around the campus and ask permission to take it off in every class. To this day it is the only thing I know how to say in German.

Having to pay for a ridiculously expensive PE uniform. Like it was something insane like €100.

Not letting students make calls to parents yet teachers were often going on their phones during class.

Having to sit in assigned seats at break even though you probably never talked to the people before in your life. This one was particularly funny sometimes :pac:

Having to wear a crested uniform.

OneArt wrote: »

I went to a co-ed Catholic primary school in South Africa. We had to wear ridiculous shorts and a little tie, topped off with a cap (for boys). Girls had to wear a skirt and their underwear had to be either navy blue, white or black. If you went to school and forgot your cap, you'd be sent to the Hall to write lines during lunch.

I remember one day after assembly the principle was giving out about people flaunting the rules. At the end of assembly, one of the female teachers lined up all the girls and checked under their skirts to make sure they were wearing the right colour knickers. She'd go in succession whilst saying, "Good girl, naughty girl. Good girl, naughty girl..." etc. It made me glad I wasn't a girl.

I was only six but even now that memory that still gives me the creeps.

I thought my experience was bad. I still remember my uber conservative male Catholic principal declaring white socks and black shoes a "fashion no-no" during a uniform inspection

Also the vice principal used stand outside his office enforcing the rule that you must tuck in your shirt. How? By tugging on the back of your shirt as you walked by. Creepy as I think about it . This was less than 5 years ago.

Remember going home sick as I forgot my tie as the alternative was a 10 minute lecture and a detention. My old school had weird priorities

Anyone else have moshes in the corridors between class? I just remembered them now reading this thread but we all had to get to class which very unfortunately led to a large blockage in the corridor. If some first years or a teacher got caught up then that was all the better.

It's probably all one way these days.

liz lemoncello wrote: »

How did they enforce this? I would have just tried to carry one of those little pill boxes in my pocket.

Unfortunately it was kind of a problem that stemmed from foolishly thinking that the school would cooperate with a medically supervised pain management regime. I guess you could say I was marked from early on and was always watched. If I was starting to limp there was usually a year head or vice principal who'd appear and remind me of the school rules :rolleyes: Until 3rd year we were pretty constantly supervised - even at breaks. Tbh trying to sneak around and surreptitiously take medication I had every right to take was less appealing than just going home and crawling back into bed with painkillers and hot water bottles.

When I got that bit older I kinda realised that they'd have an awfully hard time doing anything about it if I did just bring painkillers with me and take them. "School suspends student for taking medication prescribed for her". As if. Dunno wtf they were thinking anyway. Kids who've just turned 12 are really easy to manipulate and scare into submission, though, especially when they're already in pain and wanting to go home. Jesus, reading back on that I'm making it sound really awful. It didn't really seem that horrific to go through, but I just think it was really unfair to put me in a situation where it was "stay in pain or go home".