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Why incoming freshmen at one Oklahoma high school must give their mothers a goodbye kiss on their first day

August 14, 2026 / 8:34 PM EDT / CBS News

Why incoming freshmen at one Oklahoma high school must give their mothers a goodbye kiss on their first day

TL;DR

  • Bishop Kelley High School seniors enforce a tradition where freshmen must kiss their mothers goodbye before exiting their cars on the first day.
  • This 26-year-old tradition replaced a more prank-heavy welcome with a kinder, yet still uncomfortable, initiation.
  • The act is considered a rite of passage, publicly acknowledging parents and celebrating the moment of a child's independence.
  • Mothers are described as the happiest participants in the tradition.
  • The tradition is known to all incoming freshmen.