Idiots. Another potential engineer frightened away by blind mindless authority.

This is why modern "chemistry sets" come with sand, salt and purified water, and no potentially dangerous chemicals. Take away the love of science and the love of experimentation, enforce rote memorization. And then the same vice principal will complain that America's science standards are slipping.

In the long run we will cease to be a leader in science and innovation. But the good news is that as we become a third world country there will be plenty of jobs in the factories of other nations that come here for the cheap labor we will provide them in the future.