School Rules

For the past week I’ve been administering speaking exams to each of my students. For the test, I ask each student a series of four questions, all of which we’ve studied this term. Since I average around 42 students a class, you can imagine this is a time consuming task. One of the questions I asked my second year students was “Tell me three rules here at Dae-Sung.” The responses varied with each student and I found myself marveling at some of the rules which are in place at my school. Below is a list of some of the rules which were reported to me over the last week.

1. You must wear your complete uniform each day to school. As students arrive to school, they are inspected by a group of upper classmen. If anything is untidy or out of place they are required to fill out a yellow card. This card means the student has to do 45 minutes of community service at the school. They have until the next school year to complete this.
2. Students’ hair may not be more than 7cm below their ears. If it is they must either cut it or tie it back. If they tie it back, their pony tails may not exceed 20 cm.
3. Students may not wear coats, scarves, gloves, or slippers in school. Keep in mind only the classroom is heated.
4. Students may not dye or perm their hair.
5. Students must attend two after school classes every day.
6. Students may not wear contact lenses, only glasses.
7. Students may not wear any make-up or accessories to school. Only a watch is allowed.
8. Students may not be driven to school by their parents. They are to walk up the hill leading to school. If students are driven by parents they are often dropped off around the corner so they will not be caught.
9. Students must bring their own toilet paper to school. The school does not provide toilet paper in student bathrooms.
10. At the beginning of each day, students must turn in their cell phone to their homeroom teacher and can only pick it up at the end of the day.
11. Students must clean their own school. There is a 20 minute period each day that is devoted to cleaning. In this time students clean their classroom and a designated area of the school.

Failure to comply with any of these rules at my school results in a yellow card and/or corporal punishment. For the most part, students understand and comply. However, being an all girls middle school many of my students try to get away with a short skirt, long hair, and/or make-up.

And you thought the school you went to was strict!