ADEL, Ga. — A South Georgia school reversed a controversial policy that said students were not allowed to talk during their lunch hour or even when they changed classes.

Cook County Middle School recently started a policy that only allows students to talk during recess on Fridays, WALB-TV reported.

If kids were caught talking, they were sent to in-school suspension, the TV station said.

“I think it’s insane, they cannot speak in the hallway they cannot speak in class,” a parent told WALB. “They have to walk in the two-tile square that is closest to the wall to pass between classes.”

Other parents said they felt like their kids were being treated like inmates.

“It’s OK for them to make a name for the school sports-wise but you get them in there and you want to treat them like that, those kids are not in a penitentiary. This is not reform school, and this is not a prison,” another parent told the TV station.

The middle school posted a statement on its Facebook page on Aug. 8, saying:

“Cook Middle School’s administration and staff appreciate the concerns you have expressed in regard to our new lunch and transition procedures. CMS is striving to ensure all students understand the rules, routines, and procedures needed for a safe and orderly school environment so they can excel academically and socially. After three days of following appropriate procedures, students have risen to the occasion and exceeded our expectations. We have seen improvements in hallway traffic flow and our ability to attend to students’ needs. Our desire is to effectively model and teach expectations as we begin the new school year to strive for success. We value your help and support in this endeavor, and we look forward to our students having conversations during lunch in the coming days as they continue to demonstrate responsible behavior.”

WALB-TV reported that because of the news policy, “several parents are having lunch with their children at the schools during that time to give them some freedom from school.”

Just days after putting the policy in place, the school district reversed the policy over the uproar from the community and students. The district said starting Monday, Aug. 14, students were “expected to maintain a low tone voice in the cafeteria and while transitioning between classes.”

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