Emily Flores
Your grandparents probably have some wild stories about getting in trouble at school. Back then, administrators had zero tolerance for behaviors that seem perfectly innocent now. Students faced immediate removal for choices that modern schools actively encourage or completely ignore. Want to know which everyday actions once spelled educational disaster? Here are the typical student choices that once led to immediate educational exile.
Wearing Jeans To School
You won’t believe this, but kids actually got expelled for wearing jeans. Back in the ’50s, schools thought denim was a gang uniform after James Dean, the famous actor known for rebellious roles, made it fashionable. What used to be work clothes for miners became troublemakers. Now? Try finding a school that doesn’t allow jeans!
Carrying A Cell Phone
Cell phones were once expulsion-worthy contraband in schools during the ’90s. Teachers worried about cheating and classroom disruption from these new gadgets. Today, the reality is different as most schools now consider smartphones essential tools for learning and classroom engagement.
Bringing Pokemon Cards
The beloved Pokemon Trading Card Game sparked unexpected controversy when it debuted in 1996. Many schools took extreme measures by suspending students who brought the cards to class. Currently, the once-forbidden cards are widely accepted in schools, with official clubs dedicated to trading and collecting.
Dyed Or Colored Hair
Before the current era of self-expression, schools showed zero tolerance for dyed hair. Students faced immediate removal from class for sporting anything besides their natural color. The practice seems absurd now, especially considering that hair dyeing dates back to ancient civilizations and is commonplace in schools today.
Wearing Makeup
Can you imagine getting suspended for wearing mascara? That actually happened to students back in the day! Schools had zero tolerance due to makeup, even though people have been wearing cosmetics since ancient Egypt. These days, most schools are totally chill about a little lip gloss and mascara.
Pierced Ears Beyond One Stud
The days of getting expelled because of wearing multiple earrings seem ridiculous now. Back then, students with extra piercings faced removal from school, as administrators deemed it inappropriate. Modern schools generally accept this ancient form of self-expression, though some still enforce basic jewelry policies.
Wearing Sneakers
It’s hard to imagine the sneaker controversy. Kids actually got kicked out of school for wearing what we now consider the most normal shoes ever. These ‘quiet shoes’ from the 1870s were once rebellious footwear. Fast forward to now, and they’re standard school footwear everywhere.”
Carrying Comic Books
During the post-war era, comic books—illustrated stories combining pictures and text—stood as serious contraband in American schools. Students risked harsh punishment, even expulsion, as a result of bringing them to class. Today’s schools actively stock comic books, understanding their unique ability to inspire young readers.
Wearing Pants As A Girl
This sounds made up, but it’s totally real. Female students faced expulsion for wearing pants at school. The controversy got so intense that a Los Angeles teacher was actually jailed in 1938 for wearing slacks in court. Nowadays, most girls wear pants at school without a second thought.
Kissing A Classmate
Students caught kissing faced automatic expulsion in past decades, despite this natural behavior dating back to ancient times. Today’s schools typically handle such situations with measured responses instead of severe punishment. The contrast shows how far educational policies have evolved from those strict early days.