No sandals in this weather!

[SweetsForMySweet7]

My daughter is a teacher and the senior management in her school have apparently been really strict on staff dress code this week, one thing being, no sandals!! It was the hottest day on UK record yesterday and you'd think they'd be just a bit more compassionate and let staff wear what they wanted or at least have their toes out. Surely it's more important that the teachers are there to teach and feel well.

It's like the footage of that poor soldier in London who had to wear his full uniform and stand in the heat. Just madness!

AIBU to think that a dress code during a heatwave (with the exception of healthcare and emergency services) is just ridiculous?

It's hardly comparable with the soldier.

Are the pupils allowed to wear sandals?

stupid comparison with the soldier. Sandals were always forbidden in my school due to the health and safety risk.

@Whataretheodds No I didn't mean for it to be comparabke to the soldier. Just that it seems ridiculous to keep up these dress code standards in such weather.

I'm not sure about the pupils but yes, they should have been allowed to wear something cool.

As a teacher myself, I completely agree that not being allowed to wear sandals in a classroom is completely equivalent to having to stand for hours in the sun in a full military uniform and bearskin hat. There's no difference whatsoever 🙄

Back in reality, how much do sandals cool the body compared to (for example) ballet pump style shoes? I'd imagine it makes next-to-no difference at all. YABU and precious and ridiculous. Many male colleagues are expected to wear a full suit, I'm sure your daughter can survive covering her toes in this heat.

Are the students able to wear cooler footwear?
If not it reminds me of my daughter not being allowed to wear gloves for outdoor pe in winter but the teachers were.

I wasn't comparing it to the soldier. If that's how it sounds, I didn't mean it to. I'm questioning dress codes during a heatwave in general.

@SweetsForMySweet7 I get what you mean, our offices are quite corporate but we're allowed to relax the dress code, it did state no sanders though - health & safety 🙄 as if I go round smashing laptops and paperwork on my toes!

Why are men expected to wear a suit to work during a heatwave? Seems crazy

Yanbu dress codes are daft and made up by control freaks.

Yes. I don't understand why kids have to wear suits and why staff have to wear suits. People should be comfortable both teaching and learning. It is a stupid and old fashioned concept. I agree with uniforme because of the expense and bullying aspect but not with the stupidity of blazers and ties. Should be much more comfortable. And staff too. Of course they should be able to wear sandals. I taught in hot countries and would have melted if I had to wear shoes. Unless it was air conditioned which many offices that have strict dress code are.

Surely this stems from teachers who have dropped a pair of scissors on their toe and complained, or an injury that occurred in a laboratory class or cooking?

I agree that wearing cooler clothing should be allowed, but surely open toes vs closed toes makes very little to no difference in heat loss, vs the H&S aspects the school covering their arses!

These dress code rules seem to get more intense each year.
When I was at school I had two teachers who would kick off their shoes and teach barefoot for the entire lesson.

I think it's fine for teachers to wear sandals providing the children are allowed too.

However this comes from the mother who made a formal complaint to the Head teacher about teachers wearing flip flops, spaghetti straps and male teacher coming to work in linen cargo shorts and tee shirts. When the four year old in reception were expected to wear a collar and tie, socks and proper leather shoes.

I rest my case. It's about fairness and also professionalism.

Surely this stems from teachers who have dropped a pair of scissors on their toe and complained, or an injury that occurred in a laboratory class or cooking?

Probably, and it's not 'H&S aspects the school covering their arses', it's real H&S. Many people won't be allowed to wear open toed shoes to work, for very good reason. (Some of course have to wear steel capped shoes or boots).

Dress codes which have no functional value should be binned, but footwear may not be an arbitrary one.

Meh, places have dress codes. You just get on with it.

The retail place I worked in actually had it written into the policy that you had to ask your line manager if you wanted to work without wearing tights in hot weather (black allowed, nude preferred.)

I would think closed toe and heel footwear was pretty standard for many workplaces.