Weird Things Schools Have Banned

When I was in the 4^th grade, Tamagotchis and other hand-held digital pets were all the rage. My classmates and I were obsessed with caring for our virtual pets and would check in on them any chance we could get. Eventually, teachers ruled that these palm-sized pals were distracting students -- which they totally were -- and the devices were banned from school. (“But my Dino Pet will DIEEEE,” I remember crying. Because these were the things I had to worry about at 9.)

Toy crazes are the usual suspects that get blacklisted from schools. The classroom is no place for toys, but some school bans -- like the ones on Silly Bandz bracelets -- seem, well, silly. Huffington Post recently rounded up 17 of the most bizarre things some schools have outlawed. On the list: grilled cheese (one school confiscated a toddler’s cheese sandwich because it was veggie-free), playing tag (the game could cause injuries), and....hugging (an Illinois school thought the embrace was too distracting!)

We all want our kids to get a great education, and be safe and happy when they are in school, but some of these bans make me wonder if they are really worth all the fuss.

Which banned item on the list is the most ridiculous? What odd things has your child’s school banned?