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

are they allowed to or do they have to? if the former, can't your child just wear something else?

As most have said, trainers are far more comfortable and supportive than most other shoes. If they're kept clean and replaced when they're worn out, they look fine, too. But than again, I don't think children should be dressed up for school. Who cares what they wear, as long as they're clean, tidy, comfortable, and decently covered?

I wear black trainers all day over day for my work (a fairly senior office role at a multinational)... what shoes could be better for their feet than trainers!?

The days when postmen, park keepers, policemen and people in many other jobs all wore smart, dressy uniforms and shining leather (won’t someone think of the animals?) shoes are long gone. Not so long ago, teachers (sorry, masters) wore gowns and mortar boards, or they did in fiction about posh schools. Now, many of those wear more practical clothing, especially shoes. Uniforms in general have become less dressy over the years, and more practical. For instance, nurses were always seen wearing a hat, but wasn’t that removed because it falls off? (I noted with amusement that in the 1979 film episode of Porridge, the prison football team wear smart suits to meet their opposition, before changing into football kit.) If anything, school uniforms cling to the old ways more than workwear does.

Maybe it’s time to put politicians in trackies and trainers, to destroy the myth of integrity. Johnson and Farage hide behind their smart suits and shining shoes to gain votes (although the only time Johnson combed his hair was for the Partygate hearing).

Trainers are much better for the feet than dress shoes.

I think it's nice to look smart and not uncomfortable at all. But totally pointless to finish off the look with trainers. In that case, might as well let them wear anything.

don’t buy scuffed up trainers then?

our school has had this option for a while. Most wear plain black trainers, not scuffed up, and they don’t look much different to kickers etc.

like pp said look far better than the ballet flats most of them wore before. That did wear out and start to look scruffy before the end of the first half term.

DC secondary had this for years - black trainers with no logos - you can get cheaper trainers and often seem not worse than shoes. They always had seperate footwear for PE.

I think the school shoe market been poor for a while - even when you spend serious money they don't always last.

I actually prefer the larger toe box for DD2 who does seem prone to toes turning in - likely genetics rather than poor fitting shoes as do getting fittings in shops - but large toe boxes are supposed to help.

all the teenagers at my daughters school wear black Air Force 1s. Keep the feet dry in rain, easy to clean, comfortable, last the full year (on her, anyway). Huge improvement on when the girls were all wearing those ridiculous rubber Vivienne Westwood ballet pumps that offered no protection from rain or the cold and looked ridiculous.

Personally I’d ditch all the short tie stuff and go for trousers/skirt/ leggings, polo, fleece and trainers.

Wearing a shirt and tie doesn’t improve learning. The uniform is the point!

My ds wore black leather trainers the whole way through secondary school- but that’s wasn’t the school uniform!

He has a physical disability and it’s better for his feet.

You need a decent pair though not just cheapy ones from shoe zone or similar

Why do they need to look smart though ? It’s often not comfortable or practical for learning.

You’re still the parent @Lilyladles. Buy shoes for your dc if that’s what you prefer

I agree and what's the point of looking smart in blazer, shirt, tie, trousers......then putting on a scuffed up pair of trainers? It looks shit.

As opposed to what?

I take it you don't buy shoes then? A decent pair of trainers cost about 50% of the price of a decent pair of shoes.

Plus they are longer lasting unless your child polishes and cares of them

I can't see why trainers are bad for their feet. They are designed for active wear.

There is a wider range for parents/childten to choose from if being able to get black trainers or shoes than just shoes.

Price range for both can vary greatly, so not necessarily more expensive.

Parents only having to buy trainers, that they can also wear for pe means not having to buy two items of footwear, and means children don't have to carry trainers when they have pe.

I am pleased that DC school allows trainers or shoes. Getting footwear that fits and feels comfortable isn't easy. Without being able to get trainers it would be even more difficult.

I wear sketchers most days including to work. Others in work also wear trainers/ sketchers. You also see lots of hospital staff in trainers too.

Our local high school are part of the black trainers, honestly it’s fine. I do think overall it’s probably better to buy Nike type stuff as it tends to be harder wearing. My two will often kill supermarket trainers in a matter of weeks as they are poorly made. Asda ones were particularly shocking, Aldi ones much better but still.

Given these kids are always being told they are too sedentary being able to run around without needing to change shoes is a good thing.

Exactly. The rubbish Clarks school shoes for girls that would fall apart after half a term. Used to drive me insane. Not sure why OP thinks trainers are bad for feet. Most people wear trainers all day now, don’t they?

I suspect this OP was intending a bit of rage bait here and it's ended up being just about as effective as custard bait. Unless, of course, it's our old friend the plimsoll t......

Reverse?
DS’s school are fairly lax on uniform so he wears whatever is comfortable.

I think it's a brilliant idea. Trainers are on the whole much better and more supportive for your feet than the majority of school shoes.

What? How are they bad for feet? I live in trainers and walk miles every day. I wear black trainers to work with wide leg trousers, no issues with standards here. I am comfortable and my brain works just the same

This reminds me of the SNL Trump sneakers sketch.

maybe we all just need the right shoes to succeed!

Most kids will not have the option of eg Clark’s shoes so the alternative will be them wearing supermarket shoes. Runners are much better