AIBU to think schools should not allow students to wear black trainers all day, every day?

What's with all the low level shit stirring on here lately.

This sounds like a great plan: we are trying to keep young people more active so having footwear that makes that easy for break and lunch, plus the journey there and back, seems super sensible. Life's too short for sore feet. Very few employers now seem to insist on the grown up version of 'school shoes' so it seems pointless for schools to tow this line. Mine wears black converse which met school's shoe criteria at least on paper and have a super squidgy heel thing which suits her feet but I'd have her in black proper trainers in a flash. I wear something very like a trainer for work myself these days.

I wear trainers to work all day. I think trainers much more sensible for school. Teens can play football, run about, encourages them to be active

I also don't understand why black leather shoes would be "ill fitting" any more so than trainers? Have you seen modern school shoes? They generally have wide toe boxes, and robust soles. Leather gives/stretches etc to give a better fit than fabric trainers, & leather is also breathable, so moisture etc can escape.

People just think trainers look cooler & are easier and don't like the cost of leather school shoes because their kids won't want to wear them outside school because they aren't trendy.

Love it!

I'm all for comfort. Trainers are more comfortable than leather shoes. I love this for your kids.

They go well with my jeans...or shorts...or whatever. I'm considering this as a new top to wear, but we aren't allowed to wear slogan t-shirts to school. 😂 I teach History.

Not to mention a lot of trainers simply don't look smart.

They are designed to be good for feet when playing sport - so shock absorbing, stability etc.

That's not the same as being designed for durability and weather resistance.

I never understand when people describe trainers as "hard-wearing".

Trainers are often largely fabric and have lots of mesh etc that let the rain in. Leather shoes, properly polished, are much more water resistant in British weather.

Trainers also often have softer soles that wear down faster than good quality leather school shoes, as they are designed for absorbing impact when playing sport, not durability.

You get well fitting shoes and poorly fitting shoes. These may be any type of shoe. If they are wearing trainers that are bad for their feet or don't fit properly, it's most likely that they are wearing school shoes that are equally bad for their feet and ill fitting. If they are doing this because they are short of money, then ALL their shoes are likely to be cheaper, and so may be lower quality. Cheap black trainers might well be cheaper than school shoes.

Yes, either PE/football type shorts or a skort in warm weather.

Obviously DD is rebelling by saying she wants to wear a blazer and pleated skirt but that's a different battle

Trainers are highly engineered to be good for feet. Lots of development work: typical school shoes, not so much. I have to disagree.

What were they allowed to wear/required to wear before the change?

The way you've phrased it sounds like a new option added to the existing ones, so I can see how it might represent a drop in standards but not the other things, as the children could just wear the same shoes are before.

My daughter often walks over 2 miles to school, on gravel tracks, better off in trainers or walking shoes than her smart school ones. And she has enough to carry without adding shoes to change into.

They're like little shellsuits for your feet 😄 (I'm really showing my age this evening!)

Proper trainers with arch support are far better for their feet that flat formal shoes.

Alright Swampy 🙄

Plain black trainers for school aren’t likely to cost £150. We pick up a pair of plain black Nikes for around £30/ £40 at the outlet normally. The only time I bought cheap school shoes (which is hard to do anyway when they have wide feet) they lasted about 6 weeks before they fell apart!

I’m hoping my workplace brings this in full time.

We’re allowed to wear them on training days and it makes such a difference!!

When I broke my toe when at school the doctor wrote me a note to wear trainers until it healed….

I wear these to school every day. Comfy. 😁 And the colours make me happy.

Why would you want to insist on your kids wearing unsuitable shoes? Most of my students wear trainers every day. They tend to spend breaktimes either playing football, volleyball or table tennis. I don't think traditional black leather shoes would be better for that.

I used to wear trainers as a teacher. Why shouldn't children be allowed to do the same?

You're quite correct. It's been shown that black trainers reduce a student's ability to take in and retain information by at least 20%, leading to a two grade drop in GCSE scores over the course of a normal period in secondary school.

Oh, wait.

I don't know how European and North American children cope without uniforms. Did you know the American literacy crisis was actually caused by high schoolers turning up in pyjamas? It's true.

(Some of them really do wear pyjama pants to school. With trainers.)