Everything changes. From tone-deaf jokes in once-adored TV shows like 'Seinfeld' or 'Married... with Children' to now heavily scrutinized 'crunch culture' in a corporate environment, it seems that everything has an expiration date.
High school, then, serves as a captivating and amusing example of how the passage of time shapes our perception. Remember the days when we had to plead with teachers for permission to use the restroom? It's either this or whatever yummy yet weird meal cafeterias had served in the past that makes us sigh whenever we think of it. Bored Panda has compiled a collection of the most memorable and outrageous aspects of school life that make us cringe, providing a delightful opportunity for those who haven't lived it to take a closer look at the current cultural quirks of school life.
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Super strict dress codes. Being sent to detention. Begging for toilet privileges. All of this might sound weird, sure. But as a VICE journalist once put it: "It’s hard to imagine things being any different, if only because we put up with it for so long. [...] It feels off for schools to still implement these kinds of rules now, as perceptions on discipline, education, gender, and individuality have evolved."
Looking back on it now, there's one bizarre rule that was recently revived due to the times we live in: mock air raids. Of course, depending on which part of the world you live in - particularly if you're situated in Ukraine - ducking for shelter under your desk might still be part of a student's routine. But if you live in America, you're likely aware of its active invader drills which force teens to participate in terrifying simulations.
The United States is not alone in having questionable school norms, as other countries also exhibit their own peculiar practices. In Japan, for instance, students with non-black or non-straight hair are often required to provide evidence of their hair's natural color or texture. On the other hand, in many Indian schools, there are specific restrictions imposed on the interaction between male and female students.
Another questionable norm that ceased to exist (at least to our knowledge) is barring latecomers from entering the classroom. You know, being late by 1 minute and not being allowed to join the class, everyone's eyes saying "uh-oh." And while it's understandable that dealing with consistent lateness can be annoying, especially for teachers who face disruptions because of unmotivated students - what good does making a kid sit in the cafeteria playing their Gameboy bring to their overall education?
While bullying was considered to be a rite-of-passage of your average school student, influencing countless jocks in coming-of-age dramas and comedies, it seems like the rate of bullying has significantly dropped. In 2013, a nationwide survey in the US found that 20% of high school students were bullied on school property in the past year. Meanwhile, another, more recent study published in the journal Pediatrics, discovered that instances of bullying, including perpetrating and witnessing it, have decreased.
I have to say I actually do like knowing that mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell and that Athens and Sparta fought the Peloponnesian War and that the square root of 144 is 12. Yeah none of this helps me in my day to day life but school introduced me to many ideas and facts that I'm very happy to know.
Speaking of the bygone school practices that seem outrageous by today's norms, we should mention the dunce cap seen in cartoons (like The Simpsons) and vintage films. A student who struggled with their studies would be made to wear this cone-shaped hat, marking them as the "class idiot" for all to see. Today, we shudder at the thought of publicly shaming students, realizing that such practices only perpetuate low self-esteem and discourage learning. Thankfully, the dunce cap now resides in the realm of history, where it belongs.
I dont know about some other countries but in Netherlands if you choose economics they actually do explain about taxes.
U.S. here. As a former high school teacher of not-math, I taught all my students how to do their taxes. My students were poor and did not need to pay ridiculous amounts of money to fill out a very simple form (at least for people earning minimum wage).
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Took AP econ my senior year. Learned all about macro and micro, supply and demand, lots about John Maynard Keynes. Nary a mention of what a 1099 is
Math classes in the U.S. would have students play an online "Stock Market Game," as if most of them were ever going to have enough money to invest anything.
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I took a "Life Math" class in high school. It went over taxes, mortgage and interest rates and things like that. We also looked at various types of insurance and how to apply for it. I enjoyed the class but most of the kids goofed off or slept.
So cool! I also taught my kids about credit cards and budgeting. Seriously, most of the sudents I taught thought the only way to own a house is to inherit it from your parents when they passes.
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we have two cool subjects here that "middle class" people do not appreciate: life orientation, which covers stuff like voting, gender relationships, etc., and maths literacy, which covers stuff like how to calculate how much carpet to buy if your room is 2x4metres etc. (SA).
Why has no one complained about the recorder yet? Also, way to turn kids OFF music.
In my county Econ (taxes included) are required either to graduate or graduate with an advanced diploma idk which one. I took it my sophomore year
This is so true, in primary school my class did a whole term on weaving, like actual weaving on little cardboard looms and we got graded on it.
I think weaving is much more fun than learning about taxes, especially in primary school.
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And gosh, who needs to know what the civil war was about, anyway. 20 year olds who don’t know things like that—teach only what kids deem “useful “ and you’ll have even more people who can’t think their way out of a Trump rally.
and memorize the multiplication tables, remember what year the cotton gin was invented, and here's a 'recorder' go learn how to play Mary Had a Little Lamb.
I have steered my soon to he high school Freshmen sons to take every financial classes the school district has to offer. They did the primer courses in Jr. High. I'm hoping they do a decent job teaching our children to do taxes as a subject.
U.S. here. I had a few classes that could have taught us this, one even went over like budgeting and stuff (but either it wasn't very good or I I wasn't very good at it because I definitely struggled) but I don't think anyone ever really explained how taxes work. It should definitely be a thing, unless we finally switched to a flat tax rate for everyone, but that's not gonna happen.
Because square dancing requires very little in the way of materials and is easy on the school budget. As a septagenarian, I work out at the local senior center several times a week. Absolutely love it! WIsh some of the $18,000 that was spent per pupil per year was used to buy exercise equipment when I was in high school so exercise would have been a part of my earlier adult years. Square dancing? Pffft!
Oh, square dancing. How I remember that unit. We had to dress up like idiots for the last day. Boy, sure glad I have that skill tucked under my belt. Very helpful when struggling to do my taxes.
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Tax laws are changed and switched around by the rich and their slaves in Congress that anything you teach a high school kid may longer be true when he his the job market years later. When I audited tax returns, the first question I had to ask myself was "What were the rules during that particular year?" (The is a rule about audits that never changes. "Lie if you have to, but never - and I mean never - insult the auditor's intelligence.")
This. The pledge is so dumb. I never, ever stand for it. Had several teachers yell at me for it, but you just get numb to it after awhile. America is taking my rights and you want me to worship it?? Hell naw
Speaking about the inevitable evolution of societal norms - whether in school or the open world - Catherine Sanderson, the Manwell Family Professor in Life Sciences at Amherst College and the author of 'Why We Act', thinks some of the most bewildering things that were appropriate at the time didn't raise any eyebrows precisely because it was something that people were used to. "The example that I often give is: when I was in 7th and 8th grade, right before high school, I had a wonderful teacher who smoked cigarettes throughout the entire day in the classroom," she told Bored Panda in an email. "When I say that now to somebody, they're like 'What?'"
At 57, still is... but then swearing and cussing about stupid things 'co'workers do which mess up my job.
Omg not the f*****g barkers. They're the same ones who'll grab each others' asses while still somehow being homophobic
Of course, in the '80s and '90s, smoking in public spaces seemed as harmless to bystanders as vaping does today. People would smoke on airplanes, in cinemas, and in restaurants without much concern. However, in the late '90s, schools began considering banning smoking due to scientific evidence of its harm. A New York Times article from 1990 stated: "Report had recommended in part that schools ban smoking because of indoor pollution and the influence the districts carry with young children and teenagers."
Mile Monday's were a horrible invention. My friends and I would just walk around the track while talking and ignoring the PE teacher who was yelling at us to run.
Scientific evidence, Sanderson argues, is one of the most important things in fighting norms that are deeply rooted. "What we know is that calling out specific norms and saying, 'Hey, this is not going to work,' is really important. I will also say that's coupled with science." She gave an example of her mother, exactly how in the 1960s there would be 'Duck and Cover' drills in classrooms which urged students to comically hide under their desks - as if that would save anyone. And that's exactly why they ceased to exist. As UnitedStates.org explains: "Civilians soon became aware of the fact that a thin wooden school desk would offer very little if any real protection against a high-yield nuclear bomb."
Married to High School Sweetheart. Going on 22 years together. We actually had middle school 6th grade class together and choir but i dont rmbr him then. Whoops sorry Love.
"One of the challenges is that, in some cases, people privately think that one thing should be the norm, but they think other people feel differently," Sanderson argued. Remember how you wanted to ask something during class and after you glanced at your peers, none of them were raising their hands? It's awkward and embarrassing. Most likely then you lowered your knowledge-hungry hand, fearing the possibility of appearing like a bookworm. "So there's a case in which the public norm is: 'Don't raise your hand' - even if every single person does have a question."
In my school you had a shower after, it was just a big shower block with no curtains and all the girls had to shower in there, I would of rather been sweating and stinky all day than having to go through that as a teenager, it was so degrading.
Bragging about how you hurt your bodies is something to be neither ashamed nor proud of. I frankly think that most teenagers' sleep cycles and school timing are utterly incompatible, like I cannot imagine wanting to do Math at 7 am. On top of that, excessive homework, assignments, and exams to study for that takes up a lot of time along with other activities. With that being said, please recognize that sleep is important for you no matter your age. You're not tough for being able to survive on four hours, it's not funny just because it's a relatable experience, and you're actually being less productive and not more because sleep deficiency impedes your cognitive abilities along with many other side-effects. Start small, aim for consistency rather than an instant fix. Your body works day and night to help you survive, please give it the rest it deserves.
I went to a Catholic school in Spain. 1980, I remember one kid being dragged out of clase by a priest teacher, desk and all and being kicked like a football. Priests drags the kid away screaming , comes back, puts the desk in back in its place and carried on. Never saw the kid again. I'd only been in Spain for a few months and spoke little Spanish so I never found out what's he said or what happened to him.
For Christmas they used to stuff the entire school into the gym and force us to sing songs or get detention.. ``\0.0/``
At one point in my life my older sister worked at Chick-Fil-A, and she said that they are mostly home school (like herself).
That's because the other football team had a player that did the same thing and God had to make a choice
Had something similar in my high school. Learned to eat and talk really fast. BTW 25 minutes.
Lol I’m in high school I’ve never cared about being popular or “fitting in”. If I really wanted to I could, because the popular girls asked me to sit with them once and they’re pretty nice to me, but I just want to have a drama free social life
Having big bubbly handwriting had a perk until we started typing every page counted paper
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The cane being a legal form of punishment in UK state schools until 1987.
High school in the USA is a wild experience, I guess. Nobody I know actually gave a c**p about being popular. We just wanted to pass and get over that s**t.
I wish I got to actually go to high school. To anyone considering homeschooling your kids or teenagers, PLEASE DON'T unless they explicitly ask to be. Before I started, I would cry to my parents becuase I hated the idea so much and just wanted to be able to interact with other people my age and find friends with similar interests, but apparently that was the worst part for them, so I was the only kid graduating that year from our small primary school who would not be attending the local high school with everyone else.
I remember girls wearing pants tucked into their socks, oversized men's sweatshirts, sweaters that went down to their knees and hiking boots. No makeup but lots of hairspray.
Oh the hairspray girls! That section of the main hall, there was a cloud of sticky hairspray hanging by the lockers that you had to cut through to get to art class!
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I went to an English state secondary school from 1981-1985 (11-16yo). A good proportion of the teachers would never be allowed anywhere near a classroom now. The usual assortment of pervs, sadists ,and alcoholics. At the time, it seemed perfectly normal, but looking back now? Yeah ,I can't really argue or disagree with you.
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Our music class room in high school had keyboards, that could be set to various sounds. One key was a man saying “dictionary”. So of course, the boys would press it multiple times to make him say “dic-dic-dic-dic-dictionary”. I still think about it a lot.
The cane being a legal form of punishment in UK state schools until 1987.
High school in the USA is a wild experience, I guess. Nobody I know actually gave a c**p about being popular. We just wanted to pass and get over that s**t.
I wish I got to actually go to high school. To anyone considering homeschooling your kids or teenagers, PLEASE DON'T unless they explicitly ask to be. Before I started, I would cry to my parents becuase I hated the idea so much and just wanted to be able to interact with other people my age and find friends with similar interests, but apparently that was the worst part for them, so I was the only kid graduating that year from our small primary school who would not be attending the local high school with everyone else.
I remember girls wearing pants tucked into their socks, oversized men's sweatshirts, sweaters that went down to their knees and hiking boots. No makeup but lots of hairspray.
Oh the hairspray girls! That section of the main hall, there was a cloud of sticky hairspray hanging by the lockers that you had to cut through to get to art class!
Load More Replies... I went to an English state secondary school from 1981-1985 (11-16yo). A good proportion of the teachers would never be allowed anywhere near a classroom now. The usual assortment of pervs, sadists ,and alcoholics. At the time, it seemed perfectly normal, but looking back now? Yeah ,I can't really argue or disagree with you.
Load More Replies... Our music class room in high school had keyboards, that could be set to various sounds. One key was a man saying “dictionary”. So of course, the boys would press it multiple times to make him say “dic-dic-dic-dic-dictionary”. I still think about it a lot.
