With brims pulled low over foreheads and eyes glued to smart phones, students navigate the crowded hallways and enjoy free time at lunch.

In a surprise reversal of past years of strict bans, this year, students are permitted to wear hats inside the building and use their cell phones during lunch.

Over the summer, The School Improvement Team (S.I.T.) decided to change the rule.

“It was time to re-evaluate this rule…when students were asked to remove their hats in the hallways they would do so, but as soon as they were out of the sight of the adult asking them to remove the hat, they would put it back on again…Mr. Darren Hornbeck [a member of the S.I.T.] was the first to initiate a discussion about hats,” said Mrs. Theresa Wiltrout, S.I.T. chairperson, a science teacher.

Teachers reserve the right to enforce the “no hats” rule in their classrooms.

“By making the rule for the hallways only, if other teachers in the building have different opinions about hats, then they have the freedom to enlist a no hat rule in their personal classrooms,” said Wiltrout.

Cell phones are allowed in the classroom environment at the teacher’s discretion for educational purposes, but this year, the S.I.T. decided to re-evaluate “personal use.” However, talking on cell phones is still prohibited.

“I think that students should definitely be able to use their cell phones at lunch since it is their ‘free time’ away from the classroom,” said Wiltrout.

Last year, Kathryn Rich, then the assistant principal’s secretary, collected the hats and cell phones from students not following the rules.

“First semester, we collected 118 [cell phones and other electronic devices]…second semester…58… [now] if you want to wear [your hat] in the school or in the hallways, it’s no big deal,” said Rich.

Think this is new? Think again. According to The Huffington Post, here are other rules that have fallen to time:

1. A school in the UK banned teachers from using red ink to grade papers because it was “too upsetting.”
2. A school in Colorado banned Peyton Manning jerseys because the number 18 resembled a local gang, the 18^th street gang.
3. A Washington state school did not permit students to apply sunblock because it was considered a medication.
4. A Pennsylvania school banned Ugg boots because students were hiding their cell phones in them.
5. Schools in California and New Mexico banned flaming hot Cheetos from their cafeteria because they were “addictive.”
6. Danvers, MA, schools banned the word “meep” from being said because it was distracting.
7. A school in Britain banned grilled cheese because it was “unhealthy.”
8. A private school in Worcestershire, England, banned girls from wearing skirts because they were “unladylike.”
9. A Texas school district banned parents from walking students into the building due to security concerns.
10. Schools in the UK banned the dictionary because kids were looking up inappropriate words.

Is it just a matter of time before students will be walking around barefoot and wearing pajamas to school?