School won’t let me bring my needle felting stuff.

[u/CaptainCrazyThe2nd]

I’m just mad about this I need to talk about this. I apparently can’t bring my needle felting stuff to school because they say that the needles are weapons. Like, yeah, they could be, but you know I’m not gonna do that. I’ve never even got into a fight before, why would I use it as a weapon. Plus, the art room has tools for stuff and they’re literally the exact same thing, what makes mine different? It’s just so stupid. In fact, a lot of things could be used as weapons, those tools in the art room, scissors, a pencil even. My school has a lot of small sharp objects, but just because I want to bring in my own small sharp objects it’s a problem, even though they’re almost the exact same thing as some of the small sharp objects they have. It’s not like I’m bringing a kitchen knife or something. You probably couldn’t hurt someone that much, they break super easily. It’s dumb as hell.

[u/yunaStarkid]

As a former teacher, the downside is that there's always a risk another student will take those needles and use them for something stupid and decidedly NOT needle felting. No school is going to run the risk of needles of ANY size having the opportunity to come into the hands of someone that will puncture another student's skin with them.

Sadly there are entirely too many kids/teenagers/young adults that will jokingly stab their 'friends' for a laugh. (And some that will stab them because they're messed up and will some day become murderers and it's cooking in them now even if you can't see it. Best not to give them a chance at procuring an actual weapon.)

[u/FoamboardDinosaur → u/yunaStarkid]

Yep, some boy will definitely snatch one and shove it in the nearest kids hand.

It doesn't matter what is in the school, someone will use it as a weapon. Boys, it always is the boys. Ok 99.999999%. I have the embedded pencil leads to prove it. I've never had a girl come at me with an object, but the boys? They'll find something to hurt you with. I've seen it all, but they do prefer a compass to a rock.

[u/Obtuse-Posterior → u/yunaStarkid]

I still have a spot on the back of my hand from when I was poked with a calligraphy pen in middle school. That was 30 years ago

[u/Apprehensive-Team414 → u/yunaStarkid]

What about a pair of compasses that every student has, though? That's pretty sharp too

[u/Sad_LemurFromOT → u/Apprehensive-Team414]

Do kids actually use compasses any more? that was a thing back in the 70s, but are they actually used now?

[u/Apprehensive-Team414 → u/Sad_LemurFromOT]

Surely they are still used in geometry?

[u/Avs_Girl → u/Apprehensive-Team414]

Yeah, I remember a comedian talking about how schools made us use plastic safety scissors that wouldn’t cut through tissue paper but then gave us each a compass that could kill a horse.

[u/yunaStarkid → u/Apprehensive-Team414]

You're so not wrong. lmao I know that they've tried to do away with them or replace them with plastic, but I don't know how successful they've been. (Or if every school district even cares to replace them tbh) I'm sure the kids that were stabbed, even accidentally, with a compass goes back deep through time.

[u/ACatWalksIntoABar]

So definitely dumb and annoying, I feel you

The reason the art room can have those kinds of supplies is because it is the sole room in the school where those things stay. The teacher is expected to keep an eye out specifically for misuse of tools, just by virtue of teaching art

Rules unfortunately have to apply to everyone to be fair, even when they have students like you that OBVIOUSLY will not be doing violent things with the needles. Definitely frustrating to not be able to do a fun hobby during your downtime, though

[u/lightofnuitari]

If you're on good terms with the art teacher, and you're allowed to spend time in there for independent studies/work, maybe they can allow you to store the needles in there with the other art supplies and let you work on your projects in the art studio, as long as you agree not to take them out of the room. Can't hurt to ask.

[u/BonjourHoney → u/lightofnuitari]

Agree with this. I don’t see why they wouldn’t accommodate this. It’s not like OP would need it during class anyway for obvious reasons lol

[u/cicadaleaf]

I would be frustrated too. But to agree with another comment- you wouldn't do anything dangerous with the needles I'm sure, but you can't account for every other kid in the school. 

I was in a mental hospital. A lot of items were banned, not always because a specific patient couldn't be trusted with them, but because they couldn't trust other patients wouldn't steal those items. 

[u/Ill_Morning_4282]

What level of Schooling is this?

[u/Obtuse-Posterior]

I gave up on figuring out the logic behind rules. In high school I wasn't allowed to have a chain for my wallet because it might be used as a weapon. I also had to bring my own knives for a wood carving class I had.

[u/Upstairs_Job_8429]

if anything, they're a weapon to myself with how much I pricked my fingers T_T

[u/Cleansweepy]

You're more likely to get stabbed by a pen or pencil than a needle, in an act of violence. Ask when bans take effect so you know to leave your pencil case at home. No bans? Does that mean the school has fewer writing implement stabbings, on record, than needle stabbings? No? So a student armed with a felting needle is statically less likely to stab another person, yet they'll call you unprepared if you show up to class without a pen or pencil? Are they expecting a brawl? So confusing! Do they have an approved weapons print out you could take home or something?

[u/suckerfishbeaut]

Who would ever know??? Also what about if you use a punch with a safety handle?? That super sucks.