No More Hugs Or Bake Sales At These American Schools

Movember—or Moustache November—is a movement that encourages men to grow a moustache in November to raise awareness for testicular and prostate cancer. The Movember movement has garnered international support as well as a few celebrity endorsements. Gus Hooker, a 13-year-old U.K. student, wanted to get in on the moustache growing action and support a cause he cares about.

Despite his honorable intentions, Gus’ ’stache was prohibited by his school. They said his moustache would go against their policy of banning “unusual hair styles.”  The school also said they didn’t want to condone an activity that would leave half of the school’s population (the girls) feeling left out.

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Bloomberg’s war on obesity hasn’t just affected the size of soda cups. It has extended to school bake sales, which have typically been an integral fundraising method for student-led clubs.  Because 40 percent of New York City’s elementary and middle school students are overweight or obese, the government has begun cracking down on bake sales as sources of unneeded calories. 

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Children are often taught to think carefully about what they say. The New York City Department of Education took that adage to heart when editing New York’s standardized tests. The Department compiled a list of over 50 words they believe “could evoke unpleasant emotions in the students.” Included on the list are any mentions of dinosaurs (and evolution), dancing (except ballet), birthdays, animal shelters, divorce and aliens. Questions on state exams that use one of the “banned” terms will be looked at on a case-by-case basis. 

Officials drew up the “banned” list so as not to offend or put any student at a disadvantage. Situations detailing excessive wealth are also unacceptable because students come from varying socioeconomic backgrounds.

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School dances are often fraught with high school drama. Who will you take? What will you wear? Who will you dance with? Schools have begun cracking down on the dancing question, especially when that dancing is “grinding.”

Last year, an Illinois high school constructed an elaborate system to ban the practice from school dances. Upon entry, students received a wristband. If they were caught grinding once, their wristband was taken away. Caught again and they were ejected from the dance. The policy was met with outrage by the student body. Many of them boycotted the dances at first, although school officials report that attendance went back up.

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School officials in Minnesota would like to remind their female students that leggings are not pants. Principal David Adney of Minnesota’s Minnetonka High School sent an email to parents telling them to have their kids keep that in mind when dressing for school. He has no problem with leggings when they are paired with tops that are long enough to keep things covered.

Minnetonka is not the first school to ban form-fitting bottoms. An Ottawa school outlawed yoga pants and the Connecticut school board considered a skinny jeans prohibition. Students who broke the Ottawa rule could be sent home if they did not have a change of clothes. Leggings, yoga pants, and skinny jeans are seen as controversial because they are considered to be “distracting” in the learning environment.

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America has had a long history of banning books that mention anything even slightly controversial. Recently, parents have become enraged over Harry Potter’s use of magic and Captain Underpants’ bad behavior. 

Throughout history, though, parents have joined together to try to ban some great American classics from the classroom. Controversial titles include The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Diary of Anne Frank, To Kill A Mockingbird, and The Great Gatsby. Many classic titles are banned for “overt sexual nature” or “racially insensitive language.”