Coercive behavior within the education system is not an isolated case, but a recurring type of abuse of power: school authorities coerce students, mentors and teachers coerce students, school authorities or teachers coerce parents, school authorities coerce teachers, principals coerce teachers, and superiors coerce subordinates. Common methods involve using prospects such as graduation, credits, test scores, professional titles, promotions, joining the Party, and civil service exams as leverage, demanding everything from obedience, silence, and concession to monetary or even sexual bribes. This special topic brings together these coercion events that use power within the educational system as leverage.
Hongtu Middle School in Datian County, Fujian Province, required students from the third grade of primary school to senior high school grade 3 to participate in social practice training every semester, charging a fee of 288 yuan. Taking leave was prohibited in principle; those needing leave had to go through layered approval by the head teacher, grade leader, and principal, which sparked dissatisfaction among parents.
Xinyi People's Hospital in Maoming, Guangdong Province, was exposed for tying interns' blood donation to a two-day holiday. After relevant complaints were posted online, the head of the hospital's education department demanded in a work group that school team leaders investigate the student who posted it, threatening that if they did not come forward voluntarily, the school would be contacted directly.
On September 18, in a student group chat, a counselor at Dalian Maritime University responded to a student asking if military training assembly times could be announced in advance by saying, "Those who are unsatisfied with the college's arrangements can come to me to process their withdrawal."
On September 20, a grade group notice at Liaoning Normal University stated that students who participate in blood donation can apply for a total of 13 days off combining the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays, while those who do not donate blood must attend classes according to the schedule, stating that no special requests will be entertained without special circumstances. This sparked public criticism for using holidays as a bargaining chip for blood donation.
On September 20, the intern posted screenshots showing the process of the teacher in question recalling messages in the chat group to respond to forgery accusations.
On September 19, an intern at Luoping County People's Hospital exposed that they were not given a holiday for the Mid-Autumn Festival and was threatened in a group chat by a leader surnamed Luo, who said he would make them "die."
The teacher involved complained to the platform, stating that the circulating chat group screenshots were forged and that online bullying has disrupted their life.
During a People's Congress election at a public school in Guangzhou, the administration strictly prohibited teachers from abstaining and privately designated candidates, interfering with the electoral process.
Starting September 15, Shanxi Province implemented new e-bike regulations prohibiting electric bicycles from carrying two children at the same time. This move has caused commuting difficulties for multi-child families. Furthermore, schools failed to emphasize safety during publicity campaigns, instead demanding parents not to bring disgrace to the school, triggering public controversy.
In April 2026, a physician at Southern Medical University Pearl River Hospital posted a notice in a work group chat, requiring students not to take temporary leave unless there is a death in the family. The chat record was exposed in July and trended on hot searches, sparking widespread public discussion about the high‑pressure management of the medical education system and students' rights.
On September 16, to comply with the implementation of the "Shanxi Provincial Electric Bicycle Management Regulations," multiple schools in Yongji City, Shanxi Province, required students to bring the helmets used for riding electric bicycles into classrooms and mark them with their class and name. Helmet usage was incorporated into students' daily behavior evaluations and growth records, triggering netizens' doubts about insufficient campus space and over-management.
On September 15, Changchun Medical Vocational College implemented a strict campus lockdown, requiring students leaving the campus to obtain parental leave and a physical signature from their counselor. Students questioned whether this move was intended to restrict off-campus consumption and force them to make high-priced purchases at campus canteens and supermarkets.
On September 9, a video from a class in a primary school in Jiangxia District, Wuhan showed students who had not subscribed to student milk being gathered in the back rows of the classroom to take water cups and drink. The Education Bureau responded on September 10, stating it was a misunderstanding by parents and emphasizing voluntary subscription. The incident sparked widespread public questioning of the administrative promotion targets for student milk and the underlying profit chain.
On September 11, 2026, a senior student at Dongguan Experimental Middle School had his night snack taken by first- and second-year students after a late class dismissal. After reporting to the school, the administration posted a notice on the bulletin board, including the statements “The teacher wants you to rank in the top 100 of the grade, can you do it?”, “Your parents want you to get into a 985 university, can you meet the requirement?”, and “Don’t always expect others to satisfy you, learn to empathize.” The incident sparked heated discussion online, with netizens questioning the school’s pressure tactics. The next day, September 12, the original poster’s account was deleted.
A 15-year-old female student at Luancheng Middle School in Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province, who scored 736, was repeatedly forced by the school to cut and straighten her naturally curly hair, and was harassed and denied entry. Just 7 days after enrolling, she suffered a mental breakdown and jumped to her death. Her family later protested at the school gate with a petition, and special police were stationed at the scene. After the incident was exposed, graduates and netizens revealed that the school has long had extreme regulations, such as not providing seats in the cafeteria, forcing students to eat standing up, and implementing militarized management.