Public school district in Indiana bans Stanley cups and other metal water bottles because they can be used as weapons

A public school district in Indiana has banned Stanley cups and other metal water bottles out of fear that they can be used as weapons.

The School City of Hammond district — located in the northwest corner of the state, about 30 minutes outside of Chicago, Illinois — alerted parents of the ban Wednesday.

“As you all know, metal drink containers are very popular among students (i.e., Yeti, Stanley, etc.). Unfortunately, these drink containers are blunt objects that can be used as a dangerous weapon,” a letter sent to parents and shared by Chicago news outlets read.

Metal water bottles have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years, with brands such as Yeti, Stanley and Owala. These reusable bottles — which can come with a hefty price tag — are sold in a plethora of colors, patterns and sizes with both adults and children often seen with one in hand.

“Out of an abundance of caution and to ensure the safety of our scholars, all metal drink containers are banned from all school properties, effective immediately," the district told parents.

Stanley cups are made with stainless steel and have generated headlines for their durability.

In a November 2023 TikTok video that has garnered 98.5 million views, a woman named Danielle retrieved her Stanley cup from the aftermath of a car fire.

While the cup had some cosmetic damage, its structure remained intact — although the same could not be said for Danielle’s steering wheel and dashboard.

“It was in a fire yesterday and it still has ice in it,” Danielle said as she shook what sounded like ice cubes and liquid inside the cup.

The viral video caught Stanley’s attention, and the company bought Danielle a new car.

While Danielle got a happy ending thanks to her sturdy Stanley cup, the Indiana school district pointed out a concern that these metal water bottles could be dangerous.

In a TikTok video from last October that has generated 21.7 million views, a man named Binoy shared a photo of his Owala bottle with a huge dent and said that he used it to fight off two guys who tried to break into his house.

“We sort of just awkwardly looked at each other for a couple of seconds before he lunged towards my waist,” Binoy said in a follow-up video describing his encounter with one of the men. “As he lunged at me, I swung once, hit him kind of on the temple and then again on the side of his head.”

Owala later sent Binoy a gift package — a safe filled with its water bottles and a note offering him an all-expenses-paid weekend getaway.

While School City of Hammond students won’t be able to carry their metal water bottles through the halls anymore, the district said they can opt for plastic bottles.