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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

395 replies

CovidIsADick · 05/10/2021 14:59

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.

To ask if these are acceptable to wear as school shoes?
To ask if these are acceptable to wear as school shoes?
OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
WeepySheepy · 05/10/2021 16:17

@TataMamma

A lot of obsession with the Nike logo....anyway this could be painted over. I'm sure it would be obvious if anyone looked up close, but why would anyone do that to shoes?
How on earth would they paint over it?!

Trust me all his mates are going to be like cool Nikes. Or he'll show them. Or some one will nick them in the PE changing rooms and sell them on.

girlmom21 · 05/10/2021 16:18

Trust me all his mates are going to be like cool Nikes.

Trust me, they're not...
nobody speaks like that in real life and no child cares anywhere near as much about anyone else's shoes as the rule makers would have you believe.

TataMamma · 05/10/2021 16:19

Sorry, I hadn't seen the photo. I thought it was the word Nike. Accept painting over wouldn't work in this case.

Lulu1919 · 05/10/2021 16:22

Teacher here....They are trainers and would not be accepted as school shoes where I work....

Innocenta · 05/10/2021 16:25

There is no disability or special need that requires you to wear Nike. Even if he does have a genuine foot issue - he and OP have chosen to go for an expensive, branded option. Hmm

The way to handle this is to talk to the school in advance, present clear medical evidence, and buy a neutral/low-key item that meets the need in question. Buying these is of course going to look like taking the piss.

Mara246 · 05/10/2021 16:26

It's a strange world where you can choose your gender but not your footwear ...

JumperandJacket · 05/10/2021 16:27

These are allowed at my children's school (trad public school)- the school have said it's no problem as long as the shoes are black leather and more at the shoe end of things (so no huge soles etc) so pass as ordinary shoes from a distance. Most kids wear black leather low AF1s or Air Jordans.

I definitely wouldn't assume these were ok though without that guidance from the school.

Pinkandpink · 05/10/2021 16:28

I work for a well known shoe retailer and we have sold thousands of these for school kids. Both my kids have air max and they look smart and last a lot longer than shoes. Our school dosent mind as long as they are black.

SapphireSeptember · 05/10/2021 16:29

I voted YANBU. Grin My old school was a bog standard comprehensive, uniform black jumper, black trousers or skirts, white polo neck or shirt, black shoes (one year I wore skate shoes and no one noticed. Grin ) Now it's all blazers and ties and you HAVE to get the uniform from the right place (my mum ordered all our stuff from catalogues to spread the cost over the year,) No make up, no jewellery, bla bla bla. It's funny, because my uniforms as an adult, aside from when I've been working in high risk areas with food, have been fairly lax.

MeredithMae · 05/10/2021 16:29

They are clearly trainers Confused

TreeTurningYellow · 05/10/2021 16:29

This is why my son's school provide colour photos of yes these are acceptable and no these ones are not for both boys and girls. That way it is clear from the outset what is permissible. They do the same for all uniform and the sports kits too.

And no, those shoes would not be allowed in my son's school.

TreeTurningYellow · 05/10/2021 16:29

because they are clearly trainers

Franklyfrost · 05/10/2021 16:30

My kids wears the Velcro version of these to school. They were £28 so not crazy money. I deliberately chose them because they were trainers and therefore more comfortable than normal school shoes. School is fine with them.

HalzTangz · 05/10/2021 16:30

They look like black leather trainers not school shoes.

JuneOsborne · 05/10/2021 16:31

I feel your pain, I have a teen D's with severs disease and school footwear is the bane of my life.

The football boots are the worst, thank god he doesn't need those anymore.

If it's do with foot pain and the school won't budge, I can recommend M&S men's shoes with a visit to a podiatrist/chiropodist that can make custom soles for the specific shoe. Really helped my Ds, but even with those, he can't wait to get his shoes off.

Have you tried talking to school? Would they be happier if you could unpick the logo at least?

IncessantNameChanger · 05/10/2021 16:31

If they wasnt so obviously Nike or branded then I would say the school needs to get a grip. My kids school thank God arent very strict. My eldest worn trainers in for years so i wrote a note saying he had lost his shoes ( multiple times) and that worked for a while. He was a persistent long term school refused so his shoes was the least of your joint problem with school.

My other son is dyspraxic and has all sorts of sensory and hypothesis issues. If needed i would get a medical letter for him.

It's all a bit hypercrital when they they can wear branded coats and pull their skirts to their armpits. I dont mind hard line uniform as long as its consistent

WormYourHonour · 05/10/2021 16:31

They're trainers.

If your son's feet have trouble with shoes, get his feet checked and find out why, otherwise it sounds like an excuse to justify the fact he doesn't like shoes and wants to do what he wants.

Morgan12 · 05/10/2021 16:32

@EarringsandLipstick

That's ridiculous. The rules in schools in the UK (based on what I read here) are nuts. There are of course uniform rules here (Ireland) but nothing as extreme as some of what I read here, and the consequences aren't as harsh either.
I think its more so England tbh. I'm in Scotland and the schools here don't seem as uptight.
Doll9172 · 05/10/2021 16:34

They're so ugly though

Braveheart35 · 05/10/2021 16:34

I know those shoes well - most kids have them in white for outside school.

There isn’t an answer! DD1 - her school said no way, they are branded trainers & gave parents notice not to purchase them. DD2 - School says, great shoe for school & they have always been her go to.

It really depends on what your school think.

Original poster
CovidIsADick · 05/10/2021 16:35

Wow! I didn’t expect so many replies. I’ve just got home from collecting him from school. DS is 12. He honestly couldn’t care less about the brand. He is the type of kid that always chooses comfort over style. We are not wealthy, I’m just a mum trying to do the best I can to ensure that my child is happy and comfortable. He would be just as happy with a pair of shoes from Tesco if they weren’t unbearably painful. The price of these made my eyes water but we spent a whole day trying on shoes and these were just right for him. He was born with a 6th toe. His feet are already square but after surgery to remove his extra toe the sides of his feet have always been really sensitive. Every other pair of shoes we’ve tried leave him with painful blisters. Since he started wearing these he keeps telling me how happy and comfortable he is.

For those of you that have said this post is pointless. That’s not really for you to decide! It hasn’t been pointless to me. I wanted to know if this is something that I should push back on or if I should let it go and try and find a different pair of shoes. Most of the comments have been really helpful.

The sales assistant at JD sports said her son wears these to school and that they’ve never had an issue. I checked the school policy and couldn’t see a problem. Apparently these are branded as shoes, not trainers. Clearly I am wrong!

To those of you that have sent helpful comments or suggestions, thank you for taking the time to share your opinion. I really appreciate it.

OP posts:
TataMamma · 05/10/2021 16:36

@EarringsandLipstick
I also think it's an academy thing. LA comps are more normal and focused on what matters.

Grenlei · 05/10/2021 16:37

I think the obsession within some schools over uniform is fucking ridiculous.

They're plain black. Why is it an issue whether they are 'trainers' or shoes? Many school 'shoes' are so poorly constructed nowadays you're lucky if they last a week.

When my DS were at secondary school both wore Kickers for the full 5 years which were indestructible (good for my pocket) and comfortable (good for the DSs). Luckily the school took a reasonable approach though I'm aware of others locally who banned Kickers as 'boots'.

I mean honestly what actual difference does it make? A school is a place where children come to learn about different subjects, not to become embroiled in petty rules over the right or wrong kind of shoes. How does that in any way benefit their education?

SuperstarDog · 05/10/2021 16:37

My children’s secondary is now really strict on shoes and they wouldn’t be allowed, although I think they should be.

My friends son had an issue with his feet and they did allow him to wear trainers with a medical letter, so get your son checked out if necessary.

EerieSilence · 05/10/2021 16:38

I have to say that I'm still puzzled about how a "proper" uniform will influence good education. During the pandemics, my daughter was sitting in her room in a tracksuit and thick socks. Her school performance didn't suffer, quite the other way round, she relished the idea of having time to focus on projects and did several of them, just for fun.
She returned to school a bit of a rebel, when it comes to uniform and where I had obliged out of necessity but wasn't really a fan, I just lost the last of respect towards the rules for uniforms and strict adherence to "no socks, only knee-high socks", "shoes can't have a white or any other strip, black only" etc. I simply didn't see how it positively impacts the school performance.

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