Recent controversy has surrounded No. 37 Middle School in Taiyuan. Dozens of students have taken to social media to accuse the school of implementing extreme military-style management across multiple campuses, involving corporal punishment, personal humiliation, and inappropriate gender management. Some students have described the school’s practices as akin to a “social Darwin-style concentration camp.” One middle school girl even claimed to have been publicly humiliated by a teacher as a “prostitute.” The incident has sparked strong reactions online.
In an open letter, students detailed various unusual regulations in the school dormitories. The most controversial ones include: students not allowed to turn over in bed at night individually, but must do so simultaneously in rows of four, or face point deductions; prohibited from going to the bathroom alone after lights out; and shower time restricted to 10 minutes before lights out on Wednesdays, with any washing outside of this time requiring students, whether dressed or not, to stand outside their dorm rooms in their current state until lights out.
A reporter from Dajiyuan saw several screenshots of complaints in WeChat groups and Douyin, including one student who wrote, “I witnessed a girl being called out to stand for punishment because she washed her hair; she was only in her underwear with wet hair, and the male dorm supervisor passed by without any concern.”
A parent named Mrs. Li expressed, “This is not discipline, it’s humiliation. Especially for girls going through adolescence, these practices damage their dignity.”
When contacted by Dajiyuan, an employee answering the phone at the office of Taiyuan No. 37 Middle School stated, “We heard about the students posting these things online, and we are currently understanding and verifying the situation; the specific details are not clear at the moment.” The reporter also attempted to reach the educational affairs office of the Taiyuan Education Bureau, but the call was not answered.
According to student reports, the school also has many control measures in daily life. Regarding meals, students must fill their plates with all dishes and finish everything, or provide a certificate of allergies from a Class A hospital; they must line up and recite a prepared note before eating. If they recite incorrectly or forget the note, they are sent to the back of the line. Students without enough napkins are required to stand while eating.
An anonymous student shared with Dajiyuan on social media, “Eating is like a march in the army; even if you are unwell, you must force yourself to finish, how can we focus on studying like this?”
When it comes to taking leave, the school requires a certificate from a Class A hospital and not exceeding 24 hours; beds must be folded neat and tight or students will have to redo them during class time. Some students claimed that they could hardly meet the standard daily, almost never changing their sheets throughout the year. Drinking water also needs to be collected by designated students, and taking water privately results in point deductions. Physical training is also controversial, as several students said, “At the Nanhai campus, running 40 laps a day is considered ‘light punishment’ just for running slowly or not meeting the standard.”
A teacher, Mrs. Liu, who taught in Taiyuan and now resides in the United States, told the reporter, “This ‘one-size-fits-all’ management style is not fostering responsibility but instilling fear. We went through this as well, where students were afraid to take leave or express opinions, leading to a severe culture of obedience.”
An anonymous education researcher from Guangxi pointed out that physical training should be tailored to individual needs, and enforcing uniform standards or resorting to corporal punishment can create dual pressures on the psychological and physical well-being of adolescents. “Schools are places for nurturing individuals, not military camps.”
Another student’s account left netizens shocked: “Female students were reprimanded by a male head teacher for washing themselves during inspections; there were also teachers monitoring students’ focus in class by observing who lifted their heads when the lights were off.” One student wrote, “At that moment, I felt like an animal, not a human.”
A youth psychological counselor from Guangdong, Mrs. Xie, stated, “Using insulting language in educational settings, especially towards teenage girls, can cause profound psychological trauma. This is not just a campus management issue but may involve legal responsibilities.”
She further pointed out, “Confining students in institutional cages, where every move is monitored, is an institutionalized form of surveillance, repressing human nature.”
This incident has generated widespread attention on various social media platforms. On Douyin, many users claiming to be current or former students of No. 37 Middle School posted videos in support, alleging long-term implementation of “concentration camp-style management” and calling on authorities to send an investigation team to uncover the truth.
Some netizens commented, “The school has seriously deviated from the essence of education, causing long-term harm to students’ physical and mental health. Relevant authorities should intervene immediately and clarify responsibilities.”
Founded in 1980, Taiyuan No. 37 Middle School has over 2,000 students and more than 200 teaching staff members across primary, middle, and high school levels, and is a publicly-run school under the city’s administration, with multiple campuses and prestigious accolades such as provincial model school.