Many schools enforce strict dress codes, but sometimes, those rules backfire spectacularly. When one private Christian high school told a student to dye her hair back to its natural color, they had no idea they were dealing with a genetic condition—or how perfectly she’d comply with their demand.
A natural white streak mistaken for a trend
The student, who had poliosis, was born with a natural white streak in her otherwise dark hair. Though she was teased as a child, her look became trendy as hair streaks—similar to Dua Lipa’s "rogue" hairstyle—gained popularity.
But when in-person classes resumed, a teacher immediately reported her for violating the school’s dress code, which banned "unnatural colors" and "extreme hairstyles."
The controversial hairstylePhoto via Reddit
Sent to the principal’s office over something she was born with
Despite never having dyed her hair, she was sent to the principal for breaking the rules.
"One of my cousin's teachers took one look at her hair and sent her to the principal's office, insisting my cousin's 'unnatural, extreme' hair was in violation of the dress code and 'too distracting,' despite the fact that she's never dyed/bleached any part of her hair in her life," her cousin shared on Reddit.
The student tried to explain, but the principal refused to listen. Instead, she was given an ultimatum:
"When you come back tomorrow, I expect you to have dyed your hair back to its natural color and don’t dye it again! As long as you are at our school, you are to adhere to the dress code!"
Malicious compliance at its finest
Smiling, the girl agreed to follow the rules. And she did exactly what they asked—just not in the way they expected.
Since she had been told to return her hair to its ‘natural color’ and never dye it again, she dyed the white patch black to match the rest of her hair.
Teachers praised her for ‘fixing’ her hair—completely unaware that the white streak would grow back naturally in just a few weeks.
via Reddit
Her white streak returns—and the school panics
As expected, the white roots started growing back, and another teacher sent her back to the principal’s office.
This time, she stood her ground.
"Well, you told me to dye my hair back to its 'natural' color and to never dye it again! So I did just that. I dyed my hair the color of the hair on most of my head to get rid of the white streak, which, by the way, is how my hair naturally grows and didn't dye it again, so now the roots are showing! I did exactly what you told me to do!"
The school refuses to back down—until her parents step in
The principal wasn’t buying it and suspended her on the spot.
Her parents were called to pick her up, but they came prepared. They brought:
- Old photos showing she had always had the white streak
- Proof that poliosis runs in the family—her father had the same hair pattern
After seeing the evidence, the school had no choice but to reinstate her. However, they weren’t happy about it.
‘You’re lucky we’re making an exception’
Instead of apologizing, the school warned her:
"Extreme hair is still a distraction to the other students, and they are going to wonder why you're getting special treatment. Consider yourself lucky!"
From that day forward, she wore her white streak proudly—while continuing to receive judgmental stares from administrators.
Dua lipa proudly displaying the 'rogue' hairstyle that got the student in troublemedia1.tenor.com
Internet reacts: ‘This is the best malicious compliance ever’
The brilliant response earned plenty of praise online.
via Reddit
Other users criticized the school, with u/SpiritRiddle pointing out:
"I like how they were so quick to enforce the rule, but once they realized they had messed up, instead of apologizing, they tried to make it her fault."
She’s not coming back
After everything that happened, the student decided not to return to the school the following year.
She had proven her point, but she wasn’t about to stay somewhere she wasn’t respected.
And as for her white streak? She’s now wearing it proudly, knowing that no principal, teacher, or outdated dress code can take away who she is.
Furry friends are importantRepresentative image via Canva
Couple has annoying conversation
The one phrase people most want to ban forever—and 20 more that drive us all nuts
If you’ve ever cringed at hearing “It is what it is” or rolled your eyes at someone saying “No offense…” before delivering something totally offensive, you’re definitely not alone. Some expressions are so irritating, so overused, or so grammatically cursed that hearing them once more might just push us over the edge.
We asked our Facebook audience, “ If you could ban one annoying phrase from existence forever, what would it be?” and holy moly, did the floodgates open. Typically, a given question might rack up around 5,000 comments—but this one? Over 14,000. People shared responses that were funny, petty, brutally honest, and occasionally downright poignant. From phrases that try (and fail) to sound wise, to those so overused they've lost all meaning entirely—here are the top contenders folks are completely done with.
The one phrase nearly everyone wants to vanish
By far the most repeated offender was:
Over and over, users cited this as the ultimate non-response. It’s dismissive, it ends conversations, and it offers exactly zero comfort or help.
Another big category? Expressions meant to comfort that end up being painful or insulting. These include:
Many commenters explained that these phrases, while often well-intentioned, feel dismissive in times of grief or hardship.
Grammar gripes and word crimes
Grammar lovers had a lot of feelings. Some of the most-cited “please stop saying this” phrases included:
And let’s not forget the collective rage over “pacifically” when people mean “specifically.”
Words that reveal more than they intend
Several users took issue with phrases that feel passive-aggressive or intellectually lazy, such as:
As user Jacqueline C. put it, “'To be honest...' What does that mean? That you're not honest any other time?”
Phrases tied to racism, sexism, or toxic positivity
A significant number of respondents took aim at harmful or politically charged phrases. Among them:
These comments weren’t just about annoyance—they were about the emotional weight and social impact of language.
James G. didn’t mince words when he wrote: “‘Go back to your country, then’ 🤬. The epitome of racist. I love my country, plus my ancestors did not ASK to be brought here the way they were.”
Corporate speak and empty buzzwords
You knew these were coming.
These phrases sparked a different kind of rage—one reserved for staff meetings and marketing emails.
Iris H. summed it up: “Most corporate speak. Downsizing. Low hanging fruit. Pivot. etc…..” Just say what you mean, please.
Why this resonated so deeply
There’s something unifying about shared irritation. These phrases might seem harmless or routine, but for many people, they’re like verbal paper cuts—tiny annoyances that, over time, sting a lot more than they should.
Whether it’s poor grammar, dismissive condolences, or flat-out hate speech in disguise, we’re collectively craving language that’s thoughtful, clear, and kind.
So the next time you find yourself reaching for one of these expressions, take a beat. Maybe there’s a better way to say what you mean. Or maybe… just don’t say anything at all.
And if you’ve got your own phrase that should be banished from existence? Don’t worry—there’s still time to add to the list.
Got another phrase that needs to go? Drop it in the comments on our original Facebook post.
Bonus: The top five most hated phrases from our poll
Let’s make 2025 the year we finally stop saying all of them.