Happy Valentines Day

I had rather disheartening experience today.
There is a bulletin board in the hallway that I am allowed to decorate. I usually put up something about the holidays. I thought for Valentine's Day it would be nice to give the students (and teachers) some chocolates. So I went to the store and bought three bags of chocolates, and folded up an origami box to hold them, and decorated a sign saying "Happy Valentines Day!" with pink and red paper and stapled it all up in the hallway. Within minutes a teacher told me that students cannot eat candy at school and that I should talk to my supervisor about it. Then about two minutes later the same teacher informed me that he had spoken to the vice principal and that I had to take it down. Just like that. No acknowledgement of the trouble I had gone to. Just shut down.
I think rules have their place, and I am especially willing to follow them if I know what purpose they serve. But to me, if you can't be flexible, it shows not strict morals, but a need for power or control. I find this current running through the school system here, and it makes for students who rebel, or have their spirit broken, and sit vacant eyed an resentful in front of me. Sure there are plenty of students who follow the rules and have no problem sitting up straight in class and keeping their hair the right length. But even those students are having their creativity stifled instead of nourished, and as a result, are afraid to raise their hand in my classes for fear of making a mistake, or don't know how to give their own opinion because there is no right answer. It is a difficult environment to work in, especially for someone who cares deeply about children, and compounded by the fact that I have no authority to change it or even communicate with the students beyond their limited English ability and my non existent Japanese ability allows.
But despite my frustrations I know I am learning from the experience. Learning to let go and have patience. I hope that in Spain I work with teachers who inspire me and their students, so that I can learn what to do instead of what not to do.