32 Seemingly Normal Things About American Schools That Confuse The Hell Out Of Non-Americans

I don’t ever know what A levels etc. are. One of these days I need to look it up.

mine starts at 8:00 till 3:00

Yes, but the cheerleaders were just normal students, not stuck up and they didn't wear their uniforms in class.

Yes, because if you're in the hall without one, then you MUST be commiting murder (Sarcasm lads)

In Sweden it starts in august and ends in june. Nothing odd about it, to me.

Yep and we decorate them too!

Yes, don't you?

They used to have E as a failing grade, but people thought it meant Excellent, so they changed it to an F.

Yep, even a snowboard & skiing club in the Midwest.

huge, loud, head-ache inducing cafeterias.

Yes sadly

Aunt Messy

Aunt Messy

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Canadian here. They don't close schools in Canada unless it's been colder than -40C for three days in a row.

Because we put all our budget into our announcements and lockers

Because a gallon would be too heavy on the lunch tray.

They aren't cool it sucks

I wish I had school lunch that good

Yep. ours was awesome!

Yes, teachers want you in class to learn, not loitering in the bathroom.

yep...at least in the suburbs because most of us start driving at 16

one word to answer this- ICE

To be very honest, I'm English and I usually do page count rather than word count

yeah i wondered this and are the woman stale or something lol

my elementry did

No they force students to do it

So we aren't "distracted". Even rooms with windows usually had the blinds closed.

Weird my school has loads of windows so we have natural light and can look out to nature. I live on a mountain and a have a tiny school btw

what do you mean lack of windows my school is really bright?

Never saw a US high school w/o windows.

I worked at a school in Baltimore that had almost no windows. The kids called it the "Shoe Factory".

My school bricked the windows because kids kept climbing out of them. One kid somehow escaped learning prison from the second floor.

In my area it was the same contractor who built them.

Most schools in America have windows. My high school, on the other hand, had very few. And those few rooms that actually had windows didn't have a view...the windows were either high up by the ceiling, or they looked into an alcove with a view of the other side of the alcove. Not sure why, but rumor was it was to help with temperature control. Which would be a huge joke since the rooms were either freezing or roasting. It was also scary as hell when the power went out.

Need windows.. must be awful without

That is not the case in all schools. Never had closed blinds or lack of windows. Quite the opposite. Large massive windows. Wide open and great views to whatever was outside them.

The shop parts of our school didn't have many windows as it was actually air conditioned. Idiot would throw s**t out of them anyway.

Budgets.

So true ... my lovely brick & windowed high school was torn down and replaced with cold windowless "prison blocks!" Is it to condition students to their bleak, cold futures?

to remind you if you don't do well what prison will look like

Again, no trust! Poor kids

Government construction projects go to the lowest bidder.

Safety. In tornado alley, you need an area that is in the middle of a building with no glass for the students and staff to shelter during thunderstorms/tornado watches. Since Sandy Hook school shooters are also a reason for the architecture. Some older buildings have windows set up for cross ventilation.

Depends on the school. I went to schools with lots of windows. City schools tend to be more prison-like, I think.

Didn't you know, students exposed to sunlight are likely to think for themselves and we can't possibly have that, they might notice the rote memorization being taught is pointless.

Never saw a US high school with no windows.

Actually, prison blocks look like schools...

some schools have lots of windows (including mine I went to visit a friend in Alaska and showed me one of the schools there... there were only windows around the school office.)

It's cause American schools are prone to school shootings.

what schools are you talking about? every school I have been to or seen has tons of window all over the place, look at the side of any American school, it is all windows.

The newer schools have the fewest windows. I went to really old elementary and high schools, where the schools had big tall windows. And yes, they were very, very distracting.

ours have windows. and, we're lucky! WE GET HALLWAYS! most schools in my area are indoor-outdoor. all the hallways are outside. we get a building. it's so much easier!

so we can't escape and we are forced to listen to the extremely racist teacher and have the biģer kids break your arms and legs in watch your back tag, only to be handed alittle plastic bag of uce

It depends on where the school is. If it's a city, then--yes. Is more like a compact institution to better "keep track" of things.

Most likely energy cost savings.

Not all... just some of the old ones... majority are pretty cool.