School has banned Kickers shoes! I have bought them for DS. AIBU to to let him wear them and start a fight with them if they try to sanction him?

[CarefulDriver]

DS is starting secondary school next week. The school uniform regulations on the school website dictate that they wear black shoes (no trainer like shoes). Fine.

I bought him a pair of Kickers as I wanted comfy shoes which will last him most of the year. I know from previous experience with DS1 and 2 that the ‘businessman’ style shoes don’t last if they’re playing footie at break! Most of the DCs at their school wore Kickers and so did they once I caught on.

Chatting to friend who’s DC is also going to the same school yesterday and apparently the school has banned shoes with visible branding on which Kickers have. This is not on the main school uniform webpage which is what I checked to get his uniform but on a sub page for new Yr7s which I had read but only skimmed over the uniform bit as assumed it was the same as the main page.

I spent £68 on shoes, which IMO are common school shoes, he may not now be able to wear. He won’t be wearing out of school either obviously! I got them online direct from Kickers with a 14 day return policy which has runout now.

WIBU to just send him in on his first day in them?

Honestly if you message the school and query it, you're only drawing attention to it. I would leave it and see if anyone notices. I can't imagine anyone will have the time or energy to notice the tiny tag on the shoes. I really hope schools have more to worry about right now than shoes.

Sell the kickers, buy some new compliant shoes, and move on.

If they haven’t put notice on the school website then that’s their issue...
Let’s hope ds 13 school don’t ban kicker, he will still be wearing them as he’s autistic and they are literally the only shoes he will wear....

@CarefulDriver

All these posts about DS suffering if I send him in these shoes, are you teachers?

I can’t get over the fact that we find it acceptable that children are punished for something that is not within their control. This is abuse by people who are supposed to be safeguarding them and is carried out across schools over the country with barely a word spoken about it! Parents are also blackmailed into following petty rules which have no effect on their children’s education, a service they pay for through their taxes, and which in a lot of cases is very poor.

It is outrageous that we accept this.

So why are you frothing on here when you could be using the time in writing to your MP, the Chair of Governors at the school and the Secretary of State for Education.

plimsols ?

And now I know why my DDs' school sent an email of rules they wanted to 'clarify for September' which included "School staff decide on the appropriateness of school footwear, not shops, retailers or websites." (though they're not put into isolation, they're put in plimsoles apparently - not sure which the kids would find more "abusive"). They're pre-empting this type of stuff.

I'd contact the school and ask, but I can see the argument of not wanting to get attention. I'd rather know where I stand because whatever parent I'm happy to be, I'm not comfortable having my child be that child unless it's something they viewed as important and were willing to take on the risks of punishment for their own ideas. It would be unreasonable to make them that if you can avoid it. Most shops will do refunds if you ask nicely and the stuff is still in new condition and they'd likely sell fine if it came to that.

At my DDs' school, we did manage to get a U-turn on a uniform policy change (about PE kit), but I think that was mainly because there was such a quick, collective response questioning it.

I can’t get over the fact that we find it acceptable that children are punished for something that is not within their control. This is abuse by people who are supposed to be safeguarding them and is carried out across schools over the country with barely a word spoken about it!

People talk about this a lot.

It used to be that kids could be sent home for dress violations to get changed - it still happens in some places, but that was largely ruled a safeguarding issue so they have to be kept on site and the parents who support or at least don't mind strict uniforms tend to be the ones who respond to surveys and volunteer and get involved so they get heard more. You can make a complaint about it, but the first step in that - which should be on the website too - involves contacting the school. Governors and others will expect that if you contact them.

I'd rather my taxes went to schools, whatever setting, than many other things taxes are spent on, I don't know why people always assume their individual money went on whatever they're pissed off about, but I think it's really nasty to throw that it's a public service in staff's faces. Yeah, there are a lot of issues in schools, but come on, screaming 'abuse' and 'my taxes' isn't going to fix your shoe issue.

Will they start dictating that the only phones allowed at school are cheap Alcatel ones?

My DDs' at a school with a uniform don't allow phones to be out anywhere but reception.

For my DS which doesn't have uniform in the classroom, they used mobiles from day 1 and he struggled a bit because he had a "cheap Alcatel" and up until that point had the browser blocked (at his own request) so I had to entirely reset up his phone and we had to deal with some tech issues for a bit. I had mixed feelings on that one - I didn't like the idea that kids had to have a phone and open internet access all school day to do things, but it's apparently a thing in some spaces. We chose to upgrade for the following year to help him. Pros and cons in all education settings.

Obviously I will not let DS get in trouble so I’ll have to call them on Tuesday and ask them to explain this new rule with what I said above.

Wouldn't it be easier just to black out the branding images?

I totally agree with you the these sort of uniform rules are utterly ridiculous. Frankly, I think we should either abolish uniforms or make it the law that schools are restricted to what can be supplied cheapest through shops like supermarkets and M&S. However, if you think you will be able to argue your son's school out of applying their rules, I'm afraid you're deceiving yourself. Secondary academies just love that sort of fight, it's so much easier to deal with than, say, raising academic standards, and they won't give in.

@QueenBee52

plimsols ?

That would definitely not be allowed.

I know you've missed the return window, but if you reach out to Kickers they may let you.

Much better if she just contacts them. After all, by definition you can't reach out to someone who isn't close by.

Schools can be VERY strict with uniform. For example dpup chewed one of dd leather shoes I put her in black trainers and went to explain in the office ... she was excluded for the day for incorrect uniform.

Interesting, as official guidance says children shouldn't be excluded for uniform infringements. Fascinating that school that are so nit-picking about following their rules aren't prepared to set a good example by complying with the law of the land.

That would definitely not be allowed.

I suppose not ... we lived in plimsols in the 70's 😂

If you use a marker pen over the side tags then surely the baca will be covered by his school trousers?!

So slightly off track here but can some one please explain to me why schools exert such power and control over pupils and families. I get the whole yada yada about uniforms, I’m a nurse and wear one every day but no one would “isolate” or put me in detention or even have a negative behaviour point against me, all of which have been posted on here by parents for wearing the “wrong footwear”
There must be teachers/ school staff on here who sanction these punishments and implement these rules.
What the actual fuck is wrong with people when a child cannot wear a pair of branded shoes to school.
Will he fail his exams, will he turn out a narcissist (maybe if he’s a school board making the rules) will he have any less respect for others? I very much doubt it.
Why are parents like fucking lambs to the slaughter of these schools.
Yet again I’m glad my children are in the Scottish school system which by and large has no place for your academy’s and grammar schools and their ridiculous rules. Just normal rules about uniform.
Where will it all end?

Our high school also banned brands and put kids in isolation for it. After a few years they removed the stupid rule. But still say brand name must be small. High schools have got ridiculous. My daughter was in isolation on her first week for wearing smart school shorts because I couldn't find a skirt in her size anywhere!

Meanwhile in Wales new government guidance has come out on affordability.

Schools will now no longer be able to ask for a logo on more than one garment e.g a jumper and if they want a second logo on trousers or polo shirts the school are to provide this for free.

Uniforms are to be gender neutral e.g trousers should not be listed under "boys uniform" but instead "acceptable uniform for all" "trousers or skirts" warm weather "shorts or skirts"

Uniforms requiring dry cleaning (blazers) are strongly discouraged

No policing of logo items. Plain jumpers in same colour as school are to be accepted at primary school age.

@CarefulDriver
I think it's pathetic they're dictating shoes havent they got bigger fish to fry

Presumably none of the school staff will be wearing any branded footwear: Birkies, Ecco, Sketchers, or even a Gucci loafer! Ought to be Clarkes lace-ups or something synthetic from ShoeZone.

Never again should we e pect to see a school teacher without a collar and tie or at work in flip flops or spaghetti straps. Certainly no piercings or tats.

I once remember seeing a school admin wearing earring hoops big enough to train a chihuahua to jump through laying into a 17 year old for wearing a tasteful silver necklace. It was disgraceful.

Thevoiceofreason2021
You didn’t read the rules. Send the kickers back and buy a school approved pair.

And you haven’t read OP’s posts where she has said it is too late to send them back as she has had them for more than 14 days

OP, as many posters are insisting that they are not black shoes (they are) but black, red and green shoes, perhaps you could be a chancer and have kickers under the Trades Description Act and demand a refund!

BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou
CarefulDriver
Just looked at Treads, these are the only ones available in DS’s size but will they be classed as trainers do we think, despite clearly not being 🤔?

^www.treads-shoes.com/boys/school-shoes/brooklyn^

They state “trainer style” in the description. Seriously OP, you seem determined to bend the rules….

No, you misread that; Treads were recommended by another poster. OP checked the website and found the only pair available in her DS’s size was a trainer style. She did not intimate any intention of buying them.

they're put in plimsoles apparently - not sure which the kids would find more "abusive"). They're pre-empting this type of stuff.

What do they do if you actually send your kids in plimsolls?

Precisely.

@CecilyP

they're put in plimsoles apparently - not sure which the kids would find more "abusive"). They're pre-empting this type of stuff.

What do they do if you actually send your kids in plimsolls?

At DD's school they would have had detention or an isolation.

I agree that schools are ridiculous about uniform rules.

Much better if she just contacts them. After all, by definition you can't reach out to someone who isn't close by

OP, get some proper fucking shoes that meet the required standard. Keep them in good condition by making ds change into his lovely Kickers after school and at weekends.
Schools have uniforms. Parents suck it up.