Water bottles might not be on the back-to-school shopping list, but most students are likely to bring one to school every day. What do educators think about water bottles in their classrooms?
Whether it is a Stanley, Hydro Flask, Yeti, or Owala water bottle, these items have been rising in popularity as the water bottle industry continues to grow in revenue, according to Fortune Business Insights. In 2024, the market size was $10.5 billion; it will likely reach $11 billion this year; and in 2032, it is predicted to increase to $15.6 billion.
Nearly two decades ago, some educators banned water bottles due to fears of students smuggling alcohol into the classroom. While this could still be a concern, today’s frustration lies more in how reusable water bottles can cause disruptions in the classroom. Reusable water bottles are typically made of metal and can vary in size from compact to a robust 40-ounce tumbler.
Some of them aren’t completely sealed—like the Stanley ones with a straw or spout—and are prone to spills. Others are large enough that when they take a tumble, it can cause a rather loud distraction. Meanwhile, plastic water bottles crinkle easily (and loudly).
In a viral TikTok, teacher Jay Wamsted demonstrated all the ways water bottles can interrupt the class. As a veteran teacher, he said, he now has students keep them at the front of the class—"no crinkling, no popping, no spilling.”
Still, in an informal Education Week LinkedIn poll with 1,388 votes, 87% of respondents said students should be allowed to carry their reusable water bottles, and 7% said they should not.
Educators shared more details about their opinions on water bottles in the comment section. Here are some of their responses, edited lightly for clarity.
Spills, noises, and more
Teachers noted some concerns about the water bottles—they can be used as a noisemaker or even a weapon, for instance.
I’d rather not have Stanley cups in my high-behavior ILC class since, if they get thrown, they could cause some serious damage.
We need a way to store these bottles so that spills aren’t a constant problem as they can sometimes be.
Many schools are having issues with students using them to hit others, dropping and breaking the glass ones (dangerous, especially with very young students), dropping the metal ones on purpose to make loud noises, or banging them on desks. I get that it seems like no big deal, especially if you have only one or two kids of your own, but in a room of 30? It can be chaos.
If there was a market for Stanley water bottles left in lost and found, my school could have financed a field trip to Six Flags for an entire grade level.
Other educators don’t feel water bottles are an issue
I have no problem with students having beverages in closed, anti-spill containers. I prefer they do NOT look the same, as they get left behind a lot, and it is better when I can immediately know to whom it belongs. As for what is in the container… it is a concern, as it would be in any opened water bottle, juice, or coffee cup. As for swinging the Stanley Cup as a weapon, is it any different than the metal lunch boxes, Igloo coolers, thermoses, backpacks, or other carried accessories? Students are people. They will act out and be emotional. Instead of removing potential hazards, let’s make sure they have morals and know that bringing alcohol, drugs, and weapons is wrong (and illegal). Let them face consequences and develop coping skills! We are preventing social learning and penalizing those because of the ignorant or deviant minority.
What is disruptive about getting a sip of water when you’re thirsty? It’s more disruptive to have to go to the water fountain (if they even still have those).
Some hacks for dealing with water bottles in the classroom
My students have class numbers. I have them taped to the counter near the class sink, and they place their water bottle on top of their number when they come in. When they need to get a drink, they go over, drink, and put it back in its place on the counter.
I teach 3rd grade. Kids keep their water on the counter by their cubbies and just grab some when they need. If it's a bad time to get up, I let them know before the lesson starts and then let them know again when it's alright to move around. If I see a kid getting up and down every minute, I talk to them privately and see if what they really need is to move around, and we explore solutions.
What do students think about water bottle policies?
Education Week spoke to a few students who said reusable water bottles are the latest trend in school.
It has become a trend because it's popular on TikTok and Instagram and all those apps, and everyone's getting it and collecting them.
They've become like a new craze—kind of like [how] a while ago, fidget spinners were the craze, and ... scrunchies and Hydro Flasks with the VSCO girls. I feel like this is a new trend, but I would say it's dying down a little bit—it's not as popular as it was last year.
Though they aren’t a distraction, water bottles might signal who can or cannot afford the latest trend in school, one student said.
I think at the end of the day, it's about making sure that students can be themselves and stay hydrated. But when it comes to learning in the classroom, it's never, from what I've seen, an issue. When it becomes an issue, I think, maybe we should discuss it, but as of my own perspective with my school, I think it's more setting a tone or symbol of elitism in class instead of a distraction in the classroom directly.
