Schools have had rules and restrictions in place for their entire existence. It makes sense as they want their students to be safe, along with wanting them to concentrate on their studies. However, when these restrictions become overbearing, I think this can negatively impact a student’s learning.

Firstly, too many restrictions on a student can make school more stressful. If there are too many restrictions, or if the restrictions are enforced too harshly, it can make a student constantly stressed about if they are following the rules or not. Stress from these restrictions can lead to the deterioration of the mental health of all students. Authoritarian regulations and restrictions can pressure students into constantly following the rules, raising their stress levels. For example, a student can get in trouble just for having a hairstyle that might be considered distracting.

Another issue with too many restrictions is that it limits individual expression. According to “Pro and Con: School Uniforms” on Britannica.com, one of the cons of school uniforms is that they can, “restrict students’ freedom of expression.” The loss of what makes them unique also deteriorates the well-being of students.

Of course, rules and regulations have a very important place at schools. They help protect students from harming themselves and others, such as banning items that can hurt students and teachers. They also support the metaphorical structure of the school so it can properly function. However, the problems with these restrictions come when they are enforced too aggressively.

Heavily enforced school restrictions can harm the well-being of students by putting them under higher amounts of stress and limiting their individuality. My solution is to just not enforce rules too harshly. A normal amount of enforcement is enough for students to get the gist.