To ask if these are acceptable to wear as school shoes?

[CovidIsADick]

My son has just been put into detention for the second day in a row for wearing the wrong shoes. He has been threatened with a fixed term exclusion too. Their uniform policy says if their shoes have laces they must be black and that they can’t be canvas. These look smart, they have black laces and they are leather. My DS has issues with his feet because of their shape and normal school shoes hurt him. We’ve tried so many different brands.

YANBU- these are acceptable as school shoes.

YABU- the school is right.

YABU. They look like sports shoes / trainers.

I think I’d ask the gp for a medical note to show the school, since he’s had a toe removed and it’s clearly not breaking a rule for the sake of it.

Your DS would’ve been in detention for 2 weeks at the DCs’ schools.

Thank God my DC aren't in this school.

Absolutely insane. A well-behaved, suitably performing student would get 2 weeks' detention over footwear 🙄

It’s about having a culture of high standards and high expectations.

That is one of the stupidest things I've seen written. I work in a university in a reasonably senior role. Certainly one with 'high standards and high expectations'.

I like generally to be quite dressy for work. However I still wear trainers / flats, especially now, post-Covid, with dresses or wide-legged trousers.

Imagine suggesting that choice would have any reflection on standards.

Honestly, I don’t get it.

This is what the school want to worry about? Who the fuck is down on the floor scrutinising the kids feet to notice that these are a bit trainer like? They’re black. They’re smart. WTF is the problem?

This type of shit makes me want to leave the school system forever. Talk about mis placed priorities.

They are trainers, but they look smart to me. I would definitely speak to the school and see if he can have an exemption from the rules due to the surgery on his feet. Make it crystal clear to them how much pain other shoes cause him and how he won't be able to learn if he’s in agony all day.

Schools need to get a grip. Sending kids home over shoes. Pathetic.

They are very obviously Nike brand trainers. Even with unusual feet there is so much variety out there, can you really find nothing that isnt a trainer?

Ps OP my son has a 6th toe fused to his 5th toe on one foot.

We find we need a wide fitting in a style of shoe that is of a deeper style. We initially didnt spot that it was the depth of the shoe style causing issues as much as the width.

100% they would be allowed at my kids primary and secondary. They both wear black Nike trainers.

Well, it's not up to us to decide whether they are acceptable, is it? It's what's acceptable to the school that's important.

No it is not - sanity and commonsense are what matter.

God almighty, you would think teachers have enough to be thinking about without disrupting this young man's education over a pair of shoes. The world has gone mad!

They are Jordan trainers and not school shoes!

Well they are trainers. Are trainers allowed?

@Mischance

Well, it's not up to us to decide whether they are acceptable, is it? It's what's acceptable to the school that's important.

No it is not - sanity and commonsense are what matter.

God almighty, you would think teachers have enough to be thinking about without disrupting this young man's education over a pair of shoes. The world has gone mad!

But in reality it doesn't work like that, does it? The school is within its rights to say no trainers. If we choose to send our kids there then we do it knowing that we can't send our kids in wearing trainers. The OP had bought her son trainers. They are Nike Air Jordan trainers. So if the school says no trainers, then these won't be allowed. Seems ridiculous in the real world, but there you go.

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@EarringsandLipstick

Your DS would’ve been in detention for 2 weeks at the DCs’ schools.

Thank God my DC aren't in this school.

Absolutely insane. A well-behaved, suitably performing student would get 2 weeks' detention over footwear 🙄

My DC school was the same. They were there 2006/7 to 2011/12. And I agree, it's bastard ridiculous!

That would be a no at my school.

@EarringsandLipstick

It’s about having a culture of high standards and high expectations.

That is one of the stupidest things I've seen written. I work in a university in a reasonably senior role. Certainly one with 'high standards and high expectations'.

I like generally to be quite dressy for work. However I still wear trainers / flats, especially now, post-Covid, with dresses or wide-legged trousers.

Imagine suggesting that choice would have any reflection on standards.

In my experience the schools that sweat the small stuff generally have less behaviour issues and get better results. This is from working in a variety of schools. My view on it is I don’t really care what shoes students are wearing but the school dictates what sanctions must be issued for failure to follow the school rules. I do notice especially in my sons previous school where the rules were black polishable shoes.

In some schools it’s an automatic after school detention for not having a pencil case. In others there is no real punishment for attending school without the required equipment.

They are trainers and are accepted in our school, I’m so glad my children attend a secondary where uniform standards are not ridiculously ruled by an iron fist.

And they’ve just been award one of the best academic schools in our region, as they have the past several years.

Testingprof if you work in schools ypu know that uniform crackdowns and sweating the small stuff are what new management and middle management do to "make their mark". It's effectively the same thing as a dog marking it's territory or a silverback banging his chest. New heads almost always change the uniform, whether in minor or major ways, for this reason.

The school are hardly going to say "oh Mumsnet think they're ok so yes of course we'll change our uniform policy for one child who refuses to adhere to it" are they!

How about teaching your child that sometimes, you have to conform to rules you don't particularly like?

If there's a genuine medical need to wear special shoes (not trainers) then provide proof.

Haha! Your son has absolutely done a number on you. A whole day of shopping for shoes that bring him out in blisters except for one very expensive pair of high fashion trainers that he most likely wanted anyway, even though the uniform list (if it's anything like the uniform list at my kids school) clearly states shoes (and may even go so far as to say that trainers are not acceptable)? Come on. You know they're trainers - what were you even doing in JD Sport looking for school shoes? - your kid knew they were trainers, and the school knows they're trainers. Buy him a proper pair of shoes and tell him the trainers are his Christmas present.

Bullsh and SarahBellam if you press the "see all" link on the bottom of an original poster's post you can see their subsequent posts and in this case information about the surgery like OP's son has had.

Talk to the school. Explain the issue. Get a medical note if necessary. Seems strange to allow your child to get continuously punished for something that is not his fault.

It’s madness
We are the only country with this bullshit

Everyone at sons school wear the black Nike Air Force
Which ain’t cheap but at least he can run 🏃‍♀️, use for PE etc