1. Cigarettes
In the late 70s and early 80s, it was common for teenagers to stash packs of cigarettes in their lockers or purses. Some schools even had designated outdoor areas where students could smoke freely during breaks. The smell of smoke drifting across school grounds was part of daily life. What seemed normal then would now be unthinkable. Strict policies prohibit tobacco anywhere near a campus, and possession alone could lead to suspension. Looking back, it feels almost surreal that smoking among students was not just tolerated but also openly facilitated by many schools.
2. Pocket knives
Back in the 70s and 80s, pocketknives were seen as harmless little tools. Boys often carried them in their pockets and used them to sharpen pencils or cut fruit during lunch. Teachers didn’t see them as weapons, more as practical gadgets kids could handle. Nobody thought twice about a student pulling one out during the day. Today, such an item would spark instant suspension and possibly a police call. The way rules have changed highlights how schools now treat safety with much stricter attention than the carefree culture of the past.
3. Chewing tobacco
Chewing tobacco was another habit that slipped through unnoticed in many schools. Students carried small tins of Skoal or Copenhagen in their pockets and dipped quietly during breaks or even in class. Spitting into soda cans became such a normal sight that teachers barely reacted. It was part of the culture of the time, with little thought about health risks. Today, any form of tobacco use is completely banned on school grounds. The contrast shows how much awareness of health and student well-being has grown compared to those more relaxed days.
4. Portable stereos
Before the image of the iconic boom box became linked with 80s culture, smaller transistor and portable radios were already slipping into schools. Students would gather at lunch or in the parking lot, blasting music until a teacher confiscated it. By the mid-80s, the full boom box parade down hallways became a thing, complete with blaring beats that echoed over the school bell. Today, schools strictly ban amplified music during class hours, and personal devices are controlled with earbuds. It’s a reminder of how teenage energy once filled entire corridors with sound.
5. Glass soda bottles
Lunches often came with a heavy glass soda bottle packed alongside sandwiches and snacks. Kids clinked them on tables and carried them through halls without anyone worrying much about safety. The bottles were returnable, and families often collected them for small change later. The risk of shattered glass was real, but accidents were just part of school life. Today, glass bottles are banned in most cafeterias, replaced by cans or plastic containers. The shift shows how much schools now prioritize preventing accidents that once were just shrugged off as normal.
6. Toy cap guns that looked real
Playtime once included toy guns that looked frighteningly close to the real thing. Kids brought them to school and used them in games at recess without anyone panicking. There were no bright orange safety tips to set them apart, so they could easily be mistaken for actual weapons. At the time, it felt like innocent fun, but the risks were always there. Today, even a replica could spark a lockdown and heavy consequences. It is one of the clearest reminders of how attitudes toward safety have completely changed.
7. Pocket lighters
Small lighters were common in pockets and backpacks, used by kids for cigarettes, fireworks, or just to show off. Even students who didn’t smoke often carried them, and no one seemed especially worried. Lighting candles at pep rallies or sparklers after school felt ordinary. Today, lighters are treated as potential hazards and are not allowed in schools. Carrying one could mean immediate trouble. The casual way children once carried around fire in their pockets shows how differently responsibility and trust were viewed compared to the stricter rules in place now.
8. Glass thermos flasks
Metal lunchboxes often came with matching glass thermos flasks, filled with milk, soup, or juice. Kids carried them daily, but the glass inside shattered easily if dropped, leaving dangerous shards on cafeteria floors. Many students remember breaking more than one during the year. Eventually, schools replaced them with safer plastic versions that were lighter and less risky. The change may seem small, but it reflects a growing awareness of everyday hazards. For kids back then, though, glass thermoses were just part of the school day routine and their lunchbox memories.
9. Heavy-metal and slasher movie T-shirts
Some kids in the 80s proudly wore T-shirts featuring heavy-metal bands or slasher movie graphics. Images of blood, skeletons, or satanic symbols walked the halls without much restriction. It was a way for teenagers to show their identity and push back against authority in small ways. Today, those same shirts would violate most dress codes for being disruptive or inappropriate. Back then, they were part of the rebellious spirit of youth. The sight of those shirts reminds us how kids once expressed themselves more freely within school walls.
10. BB guns in cars or lockers
In rural and hunting communities, BB guns often showed up in lockers or tucked in the back window racks of pickup trucks in the school parking lot. They were seen as after-school gear, not as dangerous weapons. Students would head out to fields or woods once the bell rang, and administrators often ignored it. Today, the sight of a BB gun anywhere near campus would lead to lockdowns, suspensions, and possibly police involvement. What was once considered just part of everyday life has now become a serious school safety violation.
11. Switchblades and butterfly knives
Even back in the 70s and 80s, switchblades and butterfly knives were technically illegal in many places, but they still managed to find their way into schools. Kids showed them off for flair, snapping them open with practiced flicks that impressed their friends. Teachers usually confiscated them and returned them later or simply kept them. Now, the same items are treated as weapons with severe consequences, including suspension and possible criminal charges. The difference in response shows how much stricter school systems have become when it comes to perceived threats.
12. Brass knuckles
Brass knuckles were not exactly mainstream, but they turned up often enough through flea markets, older siblings, or borrowed from friends. Students sometimes carried them more as novelties than for real fights, though scuffles did happen. Back then, they were usually taken away if discovered, but the punishment was often light compared to today’s standards. Now, brass knuckles are outright illegal in many states and would guarantee severe discipline in school. It highlights the way rules evolved to take no chances with items tied to violence or intimidation.
13. Fireworks of all kinds
From sparklers waved at pep rallies to cherry bombs detonated in bathrooms, fireworks were part of the reckless fun that some students indulged in during the 70s and 80s. They were smuggled in backpacks and set off as pranks or celebratory bursts after sports victories. Teachers often treated it as mischief and handed down mild punishments. Today, even the smallest fireworks are banned outright on school property. Bringing them could easily involve the police and lead to suspension. What once felt like risky fun now brings immediate serious consequences.
14. Clackers
Clackers, also called Klick-Klacks, were a craze in the early 70s. Two acrylic balls attached by string, they clicked together in rhythmic arcs that filled classrooms and hallways with noise. Kids competed to see who could swing them faster or higher, but the toy quickly proved hazardous when balls shattered or flew across the room. Schools started banning them for safety, and eventually regulators cracked down too. They disappeared almost as quickly as they arrived. Today, they are remembered more as a fad that caused chaos than a safe pastime.
15. Super Balls
Super Balls seemed harmless at first, but their ability to bounce unpredictably turned them into hallway terrors. Students launched them against walls or down corridors, where they ricocheted wildly, knocking books from hands or startling teachers. The chaos was irresistible, and kids loved the thrill of never knowing where the ball would go next. Cheap and easy to bring, they spread quickly but just as quickly were banned once accidents piled up. Schools decided they were too disruptive, and today they are mostly remembered as small toys with big impact.
16. Yo-yos
Yo-yos are timeless toys, but in the 70s and 80s they sparked crazes that led to chaos in schools. Kids spent hours practicing tricks in hallways, sending strings whipping across lockers and sometimes into classmates’ faces. Teachers initially tolerated the fad but grew frustrated with the constant distractions and injuries. Temporary bans often followed, with yo-yos quietly slipping back in once the craze cooled down. Today, they may still be allowed in limited settings, but they no longer spark the same wild schoolwide obsession they once did.
17. Stink bombs
Stink bombs were tiny glass ampules filled with sulfur compounds, sold in novelty shops or handed around by mischievous students. A quick smash in a hallway or bathroom turned the air foul in seconds, driving people out coughing or laughing. Teachers usually treated them as pranks and handed down light discipline, though janitors bore the brunt of the cleanup. Today, stink bombs are considered hazardous and dangerous. A student caught setting one off would likely face suspension or worse. They’ve gone from silly joke items to banned troublemakers everywhere.
18. Water guns
Plastic squirt guns were a popular summer accessory that often made their way into schoolyards. Kids drenched each other during recess or sprayed water in classrooms, causing chaos but not much worry. As the years went on, however, water guns started to look more realistic, with darker colors and larger shapes. Schools began banning them outright to avoid confusion and disruption. Now, even brightly colored squirt guns are prohibited on campus. What was once a playful and harmless prank is today seen as a violation of school safety rules.
19. Trading cards
Baseball cards and Wacky Packages were traded endlessly in cafeterias and classrooms, sparking as many arguments as deals. Kids flipped through stacks during class, swapping prized rookies or goofy parodies and defending bent corners with fiery debates. Teachers grew frustrated with the constant distraction, and many schools banned cards altogether during the day. For kids, though, they were currency, entertainment, and bragging rights rolled into one. Today, trading cards are usually kept out of classrooms entirely, left for recess or after school. They still exist, but without the same noisy schoolyard energy.
20. Playboy and adult magazines
Hidden in lockers, passed under desks, or flipped through behind bleachers, adult magazines were contraband treasures in the 70s and 80s. Kids smuggled issues of Playboy or similar magazines into school, sharing them like forbidden gold. Teachers confiscated them regularly, sometimes without much more than a stern lecture. Today, explicit material in schools is treated with absolute seriousness. Possession brings immediate discipline, and digital access has replaced physical copies. Back then, though, glossy pages passed from hand to hand were a mischievous rite of passage for curious teenagers testing boundaries.
21. Nunchucks
Alongside throwing stars, nunchucks became popular thanks to martial arts movies and TV shows. Students brought them to school, swinging them clumsily in hallways or showing off to friends. They were rarely used for fights, but their presence was enough to cause concern. Administrators eventually banned them outright, and possession came with stricter consequences as the years went on. Today, nunchucks are firmly categorized as dangerous weapons, not novelty items. The fact they once appeared in backpacks at all shows just how much looser rules were compared to modern standards.
22. Skateboards and roller skates
Rolling through crowded hallways on skateboards or roller skates was a recipe for chaos, but it didn’t stop kids from trying. In the 70s and 80s, skating culture boomed, and students brought boards and skates to school as symbols of freedom. Riding indoors usually ended with collisions, spills, and frustrated teachers. Schools quickly banned their use inside buildings, and many even prohibited carrying them in altogether. Today, skateboards and skates are restricted to after-school activities. What was once part of teenage identity became one more thing schools worked hard to control.
23. Permanent markers and spray paint
Permanent markers and spray paint cans might seem harmless, but in the 80s they became tools for tagging and graffiti. Schools worried about vandalism, and some teachers even kept markers locked away to prevent desks and walls from being covered. Students often carried them casually, pulling them out to decorate binders or notebooks. Spray paint was even riskier, linked with off-campus tagging. Today, markers larger than a standard pen are banned in many schools, and spray paint is strictly prohibited. Something once seen as a creative outlet now falls under vandalism concerns.
24. Chain belts and wallet chains
By the late 80s, punk and metal fashion made chain belts and long wallet chains popular accessories. They clinked against lockers and swung freely as students walked, catching plenty of attention. Administrators saw them less as style and more as potential weapons, banning them quickly in dress codes. Students pushed back, insisting they were just fashion statements. Today, they are still prohibited in many schools, lumped in with other items considered unsafe. What once made students feel rebellious and stylish turned into another flashpoint in the battle over dress codes.
25. Walkmans and headphones
When the Walkman hit in the late 80s, it changed the way teens experienced music. For the first time, kids could slip on headphones and carry their own private soundtrack through the day. Naturally, they brought them to school, listening in class or zoning out on the bus. Teachers saw it as defiance, and confiscation was common. Today, headphones are still restricted in many classrooms, though earbuds and phones replaced bulky cassette players. The Walkman craze marked the beginning of a long struggle between student tech and teacher control.
26. Trapper Keepers
The colorful Trapper Keeper binder was a status symbol in the 80s, with Velcro flaps and pockets that snapped loudly open. Students loved organizing homework and showing them off, but some teachers despised them. Complaints included desks being too small, noise disruptions from the Velcro rip, and endless distraction. In certain schools, they were banned altogether, though others embraced them. Today, they remain a nostalgic relic of school supplies past. What some saw as useful and fun, others saw as disruptive, sparking one of the oddest school debates of the era.
27. Live pets for show-and-tell
Elementary school classrooms once welcomed live animals during show-and-tell. Kids proudly brought snakes, frogs, turtles, or even mice to surprise their classmates. Teachers allowed it with little thought beyond curiosity and fun. Of course, bites, allergies, and escapes became problems quickly. Schools soon discouraged or banned pets in classrooms altogether. Today, liability concerns and stricter safety rules make it nearly impossible to bring live animals from home. The idea that students once walked through hallways carrying critters in shoeboxes feels almost unbelievable, but it was a real part of the era.
This story 27 Things Kids Brought to School in the ’70s & ’80s That Would Get You in Trouble Today was first published on Daily FETCH
