My children's school does this. Although it may remind you of convicts, it is disrespectful for kids to do this - it surely isn't "horrible." It is an inventive way to train the kids to walk quietly and calmly. They make it fun for the kids by having them imagine a "bubble" in their mouths. The need to discipline and reprimand is greatly reduced when this was put into practice at my kid's small private school. It is a really great idea that works well for both the kids and the students. My kids (age 4 and 6) don't get poked and pushed by others and they get into trouble themselves less often while in the hallways.

Delco Primary School in Pflugerville, Texas. I use to work at a school and we never did this so I was wanting some input.

What school is this in?

As a teacher and mother of an unruly little girl, I completely agree with teaching children how to control their bodies in a positive manner. It doesn't only keep everyone in the hallway safe but also keeps the children who are sitting in class from getting distracted. I agree with GracesMom if you haven't tried to move a group of 20 five year olds quietly you might change your mind.

I'd suggest you go work in the school with the little ones the entire day...not just a couple of hours...the WHOLE day. If you can come up with a better solution, I'm sure the administration would be glad to hear it.
My daughter just started kindergarten this August and they do the bubbles and duck tails thing. Personally, I prefer calm over chaos in the halls. When there's chaos, children get hurt. Catching a bubble and making a duck tail with their hands doesn't hurt anything or anybody. Children NEED boundaries and they learn some self control by these types of things. The teachers aren't trying to be hateful...they are trying to teach these children to follow direction so they can learn.
I began substituting this August and frankly, until actually being there all day, didn't understand why schools do some things they do. That's why I suggest you try it yourself. It's easy to be judgmental when you've never walked in someone else's footsteps.

I would suggest you and the other concerned parents bring this up with the principal first (unless you've already done that) to find out why this kind of discipline has been implemented. Find out from the principal if the school has some written policy or procedure for keeping students quite in the hallways.

If you don't agree with the response, then take it to the next level. Write a letter to the principal and school board or superintendent and have all concerned parents sign the letter, stating you've had a meeting with the principal and your disagreement with discipline procedures.

My daughter has gone to Catholic schools all her school life, and they were required to line up in the hall, so many feet apart, no touching and NO talking. They walked quietly and quickly to their next class in single file. Her high school is different, though, since the kids have to travel all over the place to get to their classes.

My district doesn't do the make-believe bubble thing but the students are supposed to walk down the hallway with arms DIRECTLY to their sides, and no where else. No touching of another student or the wall is allowed and if they do, they get in trouble. There is also a flag and flagpole in the middle of the intersections of the hallways and they must walk around the pole even though another class is doing the same thing(in the other direction) or having to walk around it in the opposite direction they need to go in....insane.

I would think that for the make-believe bubble thing that there are some students who have bad gag-reflects and it surprises me they don't become sick. I suppose those students simply don't pretend this.

This type of forced behavior can be sickening as schools take these things too far at times. In elementary schools here, it seems if the students even breathe too hard they are in trouble....these schools are run boot-camp style.

I don't have any advice for you to go to your school board with but I do understand your feelings.

Good luck.

I've never heard of it being used in schools in my area...I'd like to suggest that you join the Elementary Group at community.greatschools.net/groups/11527 and see what others have to say...