Aibu-Allowing d's to wear knee high boots for school

[Shippers87]

Posting here for opinions as I'm annoyed at the attitude of the teachers at my dd's school.

She is 6 years old and we bought her some black flat boots that sit just under the knee for school on days where it is cold/wet/windy as frankly the Mary Jane style shoes that are normally sold for girls are not suitable for this weather.

School assistant has kept asking my dd where her shoes are and went on to say she can't wear her boots.

It does not say this in the school uniform rules. Nor are they not practical as she is comfier in them than normal school shoes.

So I said next time they ask for my dd to tell the teacher that I let her wear them.

They have now told her that she has to wear her pe pumps inside. Which has made her feel sad.

Can they do this ?

I know there is no legislation saying that UK school children have to wear uniform but I feel this is a bit petty seeing as in this day and age you can wear knee high boots in certain workplaces

I don't pick her up/drop her off due to working full time so am thinking of writing a letter as I am unable to speak to them after school

All the people going 'boots aren't shoes'. Yes technically not. But if I say to myself 'What shoes an I wearing today?' to my standard office job, boots are one of the options. They are formalish and perfectly suitable. I just don't see why a uniform would exclude boots in the way they'd logically exclude 4'' heels.

@estrella
Because I teach yr 5 and rules are rules x

Well that's just stupid @Qwertylass

Sorry, but it is.

@estrella
Why?

Because it's rules for the sake of rules. I can't think of a single reason to ban boots. Not one. They're warm and comfortable. Surely in winter it's better than girls with cold wet feet?

It's teaching kids to blindly follow the most undeserving of adults and institutions.

But rules have to be followed. I'm sorry and may sound harsh but if they don't like it tough.

Because it creates a nation of sheep. Some rules are just stupid and deserve to be challenged. Teach your class to think for themselves and explain your reasoning to them. It's not good enough to just say 'rules are rules' - it's lazy teaching.

What about the boys cold wet feet?

I will remember that next time I go against school rules and get it in the neck from smt

@IWannaSeeHowItEnds are you a teacher yourself? Sorry, I'm late to this thread and you may have already said.

I'd always assumed children changed to indoor shoes - surprised that they don't.

Being allowed to go out to play in your plimsolls without having to change to outdoor shoes heralded the start of summer when I was in school

YABU. Send her in velcro unisex shoes or lace ups if she can tie laces, or ankle boots such as Chelsea or lace up boots if the school dress code allows boots.

I find this bizarre. We live in Scotland and ALL the girls wear knee high black boots at school from the end of October to end of March. I don't see the issue. Girls school shoes are simply not practical in winter.

Only scanned the thread but I find this the weirdest thread? I’ve sent my two kids in boots in winter since they went to school (one in year 4, one in year 2) I’ve never even for one moment thought it was inappropriate and the school have never mentioned it. I wear knee high boots for work (corporate environment) with a suit and again I’ve never thought inappropriate.

@HarrySnotter, I used to be. I taught teenagers.
My priorities back then were getting kids to classes on time, ensuring their coursework got done etc. I didn't have the time or inclination to worry about whether some kid was wearing shoes or boots.
I remember certain members of staff objecting to a pregnant teen using the staff loos when the student ones were flooded. Those are the sorts of people who think 'rules are rules'.

Oh my...flashback!
I used to have a friend whose daughter would run in and start kicking the dog (who hid quickly, don't worry) and her mum used to say "Ophelia is wearing her sad smile today" and point to her mouth making a fake sad shape. Plus she (mum) spoke in a baby voice and had a (fake) lisp.
I actually judge myself fpr being friends with her now

I'm not saying that I never said no to anything or that I didn't care about school rules. But I did feel like I owed the kids an explanation as to why certain rules existed. To expect children to just do as they are told 'just because' won't teach them to respect authority. Rules have to be meaningful if you want pupils (and parents) to respect them and be supportive of the staff.

Girls school shoes are simply not practical in winter. Some styles are not practical, but you can buy unisex lace up or velcro styles too, it's not just a choice of Mary Janes or knee high boots.

@Qwertylass you know fine well that nobody is selling Mary Janes to boys.

You sound like a teacher from the 80s. No acknowledgement of children as individuals, just authoritarian style 'follow my rules of else' stuff.

All it taught me is that some adults are wrong, unkind and not as smart as they think they are.

@ estrella
I don't make the rules you do realise that don't you?

Of course. But teachers who enforced the important rules and used their own independent thinking for the lesser ones always got the most respect if memory serves.

I remember certain members of staff objecting to a pregnant teen using the staff loos when the student ones were flooded. Those are the sorts of people who think 'rules are rules'.

Wow, that's horrendous, I can't imagine anyone in my school objecting to this.

Some styles are not practical, but you can buy unisex lace up or velcro styles too, it's not just a choice of Mary Janes or knee high boots. Well there's not much choice if you have a child with very narrow feet - lace ups and velcro styles would simple fall off. DD didn't have a choice - she has worn Mary Janes - the same style most of the way through secondary - which are neither cool or practical in cold wet weather.

But teachers who enforced the important rules and used their own independent thinking for the lesser ones always got the most respect if memory serves.

The most respect from whom? The kids they were trying to be down with? Sounds a bit pathetic to me.

My DD has lived in knee high boots since October. We live in Scotland and tights and school shoes just don’t cut it in winter weather. She has the choice to change into gym shoes or keep her boots on - because she can decide what’s most comfortable for her on any given day.

I find the obsessive adherence to school uniform utterly ridiculous tbh, and more to do with Ofsted crap south of the border than anything to do with children having a positive experience of learning.