It is the same thinking as the "you need to start with C to become a good programmer".

They started with ink, it worked for them, so we obviously also had to.

For me it was even worse. My teachers argued that I must not use my Pelikan pen (all my classmates were on fountain pens) and write with pencil instead, because I was using to much force.

The most infuriating thing about it: I never saw a teacher using anything else than a regular pen. Strictly forbidden. Those were for grown ups.