Sodium So Dum

I am in AP Chemistry, working with a local college while in high school. I have a lab experiment where I am supposed to use sodium. I am told sodium was banned from the school, even when supervised by a teacher. So I go to the college to finish the lab, which goes without incident.

My TA had sent my teacher an email asking for follow up about the sodium ban. The teacher sends back an incident report from several years ago with the names censored. Sodium reacts violently with water, and the teacher used to demonstrate this to the class. Apparently a kid broke into the lab and swiped the sodium, sticking it in his pocket. Halfway across the school, it reacted with his sweat and basically burned an explosive hole through his pants.

Now sodium is banned from school property.