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School Bans: 20 Weird Things That Have Been Banned At Schools

20 Strange Things Schools Have Banned
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Hey kids, it's time to head back to school -- but don't even think about bringing that Boobie bracelet.

A Pennsylvania school district's ban on breast cancer fundraising bracelets that say "I [heart] Boobies," is about to be presented to a three-judge panel, according to NBC News.

Two students from the school were suspended for wearing the bracelets to a school dance back in 2010, according to NBC.

School authorities have pushed strange rules all over the map. In Ottawa, St. Joseph High School said no to yoga pants, claiming they were too tight and violated the school’s dress code. In Brampton Ont., one elementary school's "no loving, not shoving" policy to avoid unwanted touching led to a ban on hugging. And in the U.K., one school banned students from having best friends to avoid groupism, according to the U.K.'s Sun.

From banning the celebration of Christmas to non-motorized forms of transportation on school grounds, here are 20 of some of the strangest school bans:

Holding Hands

Weird Things Banned At Schools

Holding Hands

A bill passed in Tennessee earlier this year declared hand-holding a 'gateway sexual activity,' with teachers facing firing for even demonstrating the action.

Hugging

Surprisingly, the ban on hugging isn't a one-off rule at a select school, but a trend that seems to be spreading. Schools in Portland and Florida started instituting these rules in 2010, while administrations in New Jersey, Brooklyn and New Zealand took it upon themselves in 2012. For all, the reasoning appears to be the same: Respecting personal space and "unsuitable interactions" between students.

Red Ink

At schools in both Australia and the U.K., green ink has replaced red ink in marking children's paper because of its 'confrontational' nature.

Dodgeball

Due to its "aggressive" nature, dodgeball has been banned in schools across North America, as it's frequently named the cause of injuries and fights. Adult dodgeball, on the other hand, has been enjoying a continued popularity.

Non-Motorized Transportation

You'd think, with all the talk about childhood obesity these days, schools would be encouraging students to ride their bikes or skateboards to school. One New York said it was illegal for kids to have bikes, while another Orthodox school disagreed with the freedom afford by the two wheels.

Bookbags

There's plenty of debate about the best possible bookbag for kids -- but one school in Michigan doesn't allow bags into the classroom at all. Citing safety concerns in lunchrooms and classes, the high school asked students to keep returning to their lockers between classes to retrieve the appropriate books.

Pogs

There have been many toy bans in schools, but Pogs -- those tradeable metal disks -- made a huge splash when their safety, and the competitive rush spurred by their very existence, was called into question by schools around the world.

Bake Sales

Though later overturned, a Massachusetts school attempted to ban bake sales on the basis of their lack of nutrition.

Black Makeup

In Ohio earlier this year, a 13-year-old boy was sent home from school because of his black lipstick, eye makeup and nail polish (boy is not shown here). The school claimed it had a rule against "extreme or distracting" makeup.

Yoga Pants

An Ottawa school banned yoga pants last year -- unless the tight bottoms were covered up with long shirts.

Silly Bandz

Silly Bandz are fun! Silly Bandz are cute! Silly Bandz are, apparently, a distraction in the classroom and should not be permitted. Schools all over North America have banned these collectables from class, but that sure doesn't keep them from getting trading at recess.

Best Friends

No more BFFs for you, British kids! At a few U.K. schools, teachers are preventing children from making "best friends" in an attempt to save others' feelings.

Milk

Milk was always seen as part of a wholesome school lunch, but now a group of doctors wants it off the menu entirely. A vegan and physician group in the U.S. is pushing a petition to get rid of milk in schools, due to it being "...high in sugar, high in fat and high in animal protein that is harmful to, rather than protective of, bone health."

Dinosaurs

Well, not dinosaurs exactly, but the word dinosaur, in addition to other words like "poverty," "birthdays," "Halloween," and "dancing," which might elicit "unpleasant emotions" in students.

Ugg Boots

It might get chilly in Pennsylvania, but students there won't be allowed to wear their sheepskin Ugg boots into class, thanks to the potential for storing contraband like cell phones in the roomy footwear.

Baggy Pants

You may have thought baggy pants were more of a '90s thing, but schools today are continuing to push for bans on the sagging pants, with some schools claiming it interferes with learning, and others saying the style is related to gangs.

Skinny Jeans

And then there's the opposite end of the spectrum. Much like yoga pants, skinny jeans have been banned in schools all over the place, due to their lack of modesty and distraction factor for the opposite sex.

Winning

It's physical and emotional injury teachers are attempting to avoid by banning competitive games in schools and at recess, goes the claim.

Balls

A Toronto school made headlines last year when it was announced it would ban hard balls from its premises, following a parent suffering a concussion after being hit by a ball.

Christmas

Grinch, much? We've all heard of holiday trees and all-encompassing December concerts, but some schools have gone as far as banning references to Santa and carols, among other Christmas-oriented terms.

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