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.

Can't vote as on the app but definitely ok at the school I teach and my children's school. Thankfully they are both reasonable rather than schools with stupid rules

It doesn’t matter what we think, they haven’t broken the schools own policy, so they cannot punish him for them! They fit the policy that they said!

I would say they're trainers, but they aren't canvas and they're black so if that's what the school policy says then they're fine.
Could you email the school and let them know about the surgery on your sons feet.

Side gripe really but the whole ‘doctors note’ thing is ridiculous. OP you should try to get one in this case but you shouldn’t have to. As if doctors have time to be writing notes to say a child can wear comfortable shoes, or to authorise their absence for a cold, or to say an employee with a throat problem should be able to have a bottle of water on the shop floor, or that a supermarket worker is not just throwing a sickie.

I count my lucky stars I work for a decent employer who would believe me when I am off sick for an odd day. I think they get committed and honest employees in return and I do worry that all the over-strictness in secondary schools now is breeding compliant but resentful kids rather than those who are treated with respect and intelligence and so respond with respect and intelligence.

Write to the school about the surgery your son has had. It may even fall into a reasonable adjustment given it’s a medical problem.

It’s always interesting to see how many people don’t read much beyond the opening post.

What actually defines a trainer? They don't look like a sports shoe to me, and would appear to meet the school uniform criteria

@a8mint

What actually defines a trainer? They don't look like a sports shoe to me, and would appear to meet the school uniform criteria

They are Nike Air Jordan's. They may be black leather but they are trainers (the JD website describes them as trainers). Lots of schools that have a no trainer rule also have to specify no Air Force One's as they are indeed black leather "shoes" that are actually trainers. So yes the school may be being picky and silly but if they have a no trainers rule, these shoes break them.

My Dc's school wouldn't allow them as they are trainers.

I'm still working in the same job - and the same standards apply. Not all workplaces are casual.

No but the change has been widespread and significant and attracted a lot of media attention. Difficult not to notice.

Then we've had covid and sales of formal office wear have plummeted into oblivion.

The bizarre thing is that U.K. schools expect children to be significantly more formal than workplace norms (which are becoming more causal all the time). Don't people find that strange, why would you do that?

Like I said upthread, it's like we're preparing our kids to be 1950s bank managers.

And all the while, our European neighbours manage to produce educated kids, ready for work without kitting them out in polyester blazers, awful ties and uncomfortable shoes.

@ChazsBrilliantAttitude

Write to the school about the surgery your son has had. It may even fall into a reasonable adjustment given it’s a medical problem.

It’s always interesting to see how many people don’t read much beyond the opening post.

The frustrating thing on this post is that we have no idea what conversations, if any, the OP has had with the school. So a really vital piece of info is missing. It doesn't look like she's coming back, though.

OP, my Dc had issues needing v wide black leather shoes for school and wore Kickers.

Kickers have soft insoles and are not as rigid as many leather shoes. And very wide at the toe.

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.

Well, no, what is important is OP's son wearing shoes that don't damage his feet.

Also I think you need to talk to the school about his 6th toe and surgery. Explain and negotiate. They might still expect non-trainers, but give you another week to shop.

Have you got, or can you get, a medical report detailing the history of surgery and your son's current difficulties with his feet? I would be really surprised if the school insists on this if you set out the facts.

I honestly cannot believe schools are so petty… they’re a pair of black shies/trainers. Would be fine at my dds school. In fact she wears a mix of Ugg’s, converse and anything else that she fancies. The school should be focusing on educating kids not what bloody shoes they’ve got on!!

@EdgeOfTheSky

Kickers have soft insoles and are not as rigid as many leather shoes. And very wide at the toe.

Our school have banned kickers because of the teeny tiny green tag. Bloody ridiculous!

They're trainers rather than shoes & my son's school wouldn't accept them either but with your son's foot issue, I think the school being ridiculous & pedantic! They look smart enough & if they allow him to be comfortable & therefore able to learn ( which is the main important thing here) then what's the problem? Get a medical letter & fight for your son to be able to wear them - & stock up on lots of pairs, now you've found something that works for him!!

I’m so confused by so many of the comments.

Trainers ARE shoes.

They are trainers, no wouldn't be acceptable

For the school it's about pushing boundaries, these push the boundaries too far.

If the school let these go then someone else can push the boundarie a bit further and so on. Massive arguments "what about X's shoes" etc etc. Therefore shoes are shoes and trainers with big nike swooshes are trainers.

DS wears geox ones that look rather similar. But the school has its own policy.

(DSs school is split over a few locations and it’s all old, slippery pavements and walkways so the poor kids are always slipping and falling over in the wet - so these really make sense).

More than one person on this thread has said their child said every pair of shoes they tried in the shops was uncomfortable except Nike Air Jordans. I might start recommending them to pensioner friends and family as they sound superior in terms of comfort to other shoes.

@imisscashmere

I’m so confused by so many of the comments.

Trainers ARE shoes.

I'm not sure why you are so confused. Of course trainers are shoes.

However most schools have a uniform policy for smart black shoes THAT DO NOT RESEMBLE TRAINERS.

It's not exactly difficult to understand that?

@Nap1983

I honestly cannot believe schools are so petty… they’re a pair of black shies/trainers. Would be fine at my dds school. In fact she wears a mix of Ugg’s, converse and anything else that she fancies. The school should be focusing on educating kids not what bloody shoes they’ve got on!!

This is the issue, often lax uniform policies and bad behaviour go together which leads to time wasted on dealing with behavioural issues instead of teaching the children. With a zero tolerance policy in uniform seems to rub off on behaviour.