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?

@Pieceofpurplesky

I think the teachers need reminding much school has been missed since March 20 and then reminding some more about how the teaching unions influenced the failure to return summer 2020. Teachers don't make the policies and don't need reminding. Many of us feel the same as the parents (and are parents).

Considering the PE top alone at this state academy school is £25, I don’t really think they give much of a shit about the poorer families.
Poorer families are often given help with uniform - allowed to pay in instalments/provided with/access to pre owned etc

Not everywhere and not in anywhere ive ever lived and schooled in there is also the mythical "uniform grant" again not available everywhere and only available once so primary or secondary unless the rules change or you get a job or you earn more than £6000 a year (the cut off for fsm in my area)

I've always worked in hospitality so had strict uniforms which, tbf, were chosen by people who thought they looked good but were not practical. I had to wear 3 inch heels on cruise ships which caused me to have loads of issues with my ankles and knees as the ship would be moving/rocking around and id be stood on hard tiled floors in heels.

When I left and went into a tech business, I was amazed that I could wear jeans and trainers. I earn significantly more, am in a much more senior role, yet am no longer restricted by stupid uniform rules that make my job harder.

I don't know many business people who actually wear business attire. I haven't seen people in a suites and tie who arent working in hospitality in years!

They have the name on the heel as well in big letters in bright green and red as well as the tag on the front though.

They're not black shoes as per any uniform policy. Bad luck. Get some different shoes.

Why do we have to put up with this crap?

You wouldn't have to if you read the policy properly. Why not call the Daily Mail and have a nice picture of you and your son (wearing the non-black shoes), looking really sad, put in the paper?

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.

"Just abide by the school’s rules."

Don't criticise
They're old and wise
Do as they tell you to
Don't want the devil to
Come and pull out your eyes

Supertramp - 1974

Our school have done same. Banned even if you colour in and cut green tag of. What part of uk you from. Might be same school lol. I know if u send him and its spotted then he will be in isolation and you will be buying a new pair of shoes. Go to clarks outlet

My kids have just started p1 and their uniform is really strict, no black trousers/skirts/dresses, school coloured shirts (which can only be bought in one shoo at £16 for 2) black shoes, no brands.

It is really strict but on their first day just less than 2 weeks ago (we’re in Scotland and back already) some of the older kids had black converse or other branded black trainers and hoodies on despite they being against uniform policy. I’m not sure how much they enforce it but there have been emails sent already.

I do agree with uniform though, we were an absolute fortune kitting our two out despite having no brand names (other than school branding) and were lucky to have family who bought a lot. When I was in school there was a lot of bulling if you didnt have brand name things so I absolutely see why they specifically say not to buy them.

Can you sell them to recoup costs?

@Sirzy

You admit you looked at but “skimmed read” the information. You have to take some responsibility for not looking properly at the information surely?

you also appear to have skim read. OP says its not on any information sent to parents. It's on a separate online page that is accessed by incoming year 7 pupils, not parents.

Balls, this thread has just made me check my kids schools policy...
No boots this year! been wearing boots the last two years and bought new Dr Martens this year to support his ankles.
What a stupid fucking thing to change/exclude. ffs
I hate school uniform

Yip... These were banned in our school years ago too.

@CarefulDriver

They have the name on the heel as well in big letters in bright green and red as well as the tag on the front though.

Why should I have to deface a brand new pair shoes just because of a stupid rule they’ve just brought in .

Kids have been wearing Kickers to school for years!

Why do we have to put up with this crap?

So although the general policy , which you read, says black shoes, you bought shoes with the name in “big letters in bright green and red ”

This way ————————-> AThe DM awaits your sad face.

you also appear to have skim read. OP says its not on any information sent to parents. It's on a separate online page that is accessed by incoming year 7 pupils, not parents.

The OP says the school require black shoes. She's bought shoes that have the name on the heel as well in big letters in bright green and red So regardless of the ban on Kickers, they don't meet the original criteria of being black shoes.

@Ohsoquiiieeetttttt454333

You are risking him getting put in isolation until correct shoes are purchased. This is what happens at my DSS old school. Academies are tough

Sadly this is true and they have zero accountability. At least if they are council run you can complain to the council but academies seem to be allowed to be as capricious as they like.

Just looked at Kickers shoes and they wouldn't have been allowed at our local secondary school either (which isn't an academy and does make the stupidly strict uniform requirements extremely transparent).

@SusieBob

The problem is, of course, is that it's DS who will get in trouble, even though OP is clearly in the right.

And it's always amusing seeing the same old justifications for ridiculously strict uniforms. Like how it "stops bullying".

Does it fuck. Bullies are just emotional retards who project their insecurities onto something - anything - that they can. If it's not brands it's someone wearing glasses, or having an accent, or having the wrong sort of hair. Uniforms make bugger all difference.

And the other classic is how it levels things for poor families. Which is fine, until you realise that all the branded polo shirts they insist on cost £10 more than the exact same shirt from Primark and actually all it does is add a few pounds onto the teachers christmas party fund.

The real reason uniforms exist is because teachers love being able to enforce petty, pointless rules.

I was bullied for having a posh first name, and the girl who bullied me was called Cordelia.

Kids single out difference, and they do it unerringly well. They will always find a hook to hang the aggression on, but it's generally rather more basic - that child in some way stands out as odd. That's what schools who are serious about inclusion have to start to address - as some do. Anything else is rearranging deckchairs on the Titanic.

Having said that, teachers don't have party funds. Schools are on their knees with funding and most teachers are infuriated by the expensive uniform policies, too. They don't determine them - Governors and owners of Academy chains do.

As an aside - please don't use the R word. I have 2 autistic kids and people who wouldn't use the N word in a million years throw that one around without concern. Please, please, just don't.

Sharpie over the tags.

I understand that you are angry about this, but imagine how your DS would feel getting into trouble on his first day.

@SusieBob

The problem is, of course, is that it's DS who will get in trouble, even though OP is clearly in the right.

And it's always amusing seeing the same old justifications for ridiculously strict uniforms. Like how it "stops bullying".

Does it fuck. Bullies are just emotional retards who project their insecurities onto something - anything - that they can. If it's not brands it's someone wearing glasses, or having an accent, or having the wrong sort of hair. Uniforms make bugger all difference.

And the other classic is how it levels things for poor families. Which is fine, until you realise that all the branded polo shirts they insist on cost £10 more than the exact same shirt from Primark and actually all it does is add a few pounds onto the teachers christmas party fund.

The real reason uniforms exist is because teachers love being able to enforce petty, pointless rules.

teachers' Christmas party fund? mwahaha

I take it you are not a teacher. When I was a teacher I hated having to pull kids up in their shoes. Teachers don't make the rules and they certainly don't make money fro. uniform sales.

OP I would contact the school and ask them what you should do. But tbh shoes with red and green writing on are not all black, as others have said.

@CarefulDriver

They have the name on the heel as well in big letters in bright green and red as well as the tag on the front though.

Why should I have to deface a brand new pair shoes just because of a stupid rule they’ve just brought in .

Kids have been wearing Kickers to school for years!

Why do we have to put up with this crap?

I agree.

The UK uniform obsession drives me mad, it is absolute crap. Every new head - the first thing they do is change the uniform. Do something useful instead!

If you buy shoes with bright colours visible on them they are not black shoes

I think uniforms have got ridiculously out of hand since schools became academies. In my opinion uniform should be warm, comfortable and accessible. Id prefer a school jumper/hoodie with a plain t shirt of a specified colour, plain leggings or trousers, and plain trainers/shoes.

But it's not my choice (despite being a teacher and some posters believing teachers have some kind of authority over uniform), so it us what it is.

I purposely avoided buying Kickers for my Y7 child though, as I know they are quite contentious with the coloured branding and didn't want to risk it. School states black shoes - which I read as completely black, so that's what we got. If Kickers had really been something I wanted to buy I would have contacted school to check.

This is a very disappointing post, I skim-read it as being 'knickers' are banned!

These are the shoes. They are black shoes suitable for school. I haven’t bought any for a while so didn’t think about the name on the back as I know they are a common school shoe.

www.kickers.co.uk/reasan-lace-adult/11407711.html

[quote CarefulDriver]These are the shoes. They are black shoes suitable for school. I haven’t bought any for a while so didn’t think about the name on the back as I know they are a common school shoe.

www.kickers.co.uk/reasan-lace-adult/11407711.html[/quote]
How strict is the school on uniform ? If they don't check every pupil then are they really going to be noticed ?

Looks like it will be easy to black out the logo with a black permanent marker and cut the label off then.

I agree that schools choose the wrong hills to die on as far as school uniform is concerned, but as you have an easy solution, you might as well make it easier for your DS on his first day at secondary school by toeing the line.

(I speak from experience)