No backless sandals allowed.....

[BG2015]

Health and safety gone mad.

We've been told today that we are no longer allowed to wear sandals without a back. Fine to have an open toe they just have to have a strap around the ankle.

I've been working in schools for nearly 30 years and at my current teaching job for 18 years. Always wore sandals in the summer.

Looks like I'll be shopping at the weekend because someone's worried I might fall off my shoe, trip up or.....something??

Yay, FlatTop! Much better for getting down with the kids. V practical.

There is a world of difference between Birkenstocks and flip flops.
I’m always in my Birkies. Except that I tend to take them off part of the time.

No there’s not! Both have backs! Flip flops have a thinner sole - they can be leather as well as beach rubber ones.

Oops - I meant, neither have backs, of course!

Flip flop for the beach
Birkenstock sandal
My sandal (very similar)

All three are different!

I would NEVER wear flip flops to work!

Not sure the HT can rule on this. Are you in an academy?

No not in an academy. Apparently we're having a health and safety audit and that's where it's come from

I was advised against backless sandals or maxi dresses in school when they did my health&safety thing when I was pregnant - they were worried I would fall/trip over long dress.

My colleague has come into work today wearing ankle boots in protest!

Not sure it's made any difference apart from having hot feet!

Had this at a private school where I wanted to wear Fit Flops - more like the Birkenstocks on the photos above. I had my ankle rebuilt many years ago so there is quite a lot of metal in there. My foot does not bend very much, so anything with arch support is really comfy, but ankle straps chafe the scars. I saw the school nurse and explained, showing her the scars. She emailed the Deputy Head for guidance saying that as I did not teach in a lab or workshop, she could not see the problem. When he agreed, she emailed my HoD who was fine about it.

One of the peri music teachers was then pulled up for wearing a sarong and flip flops (similar to the photo above). She immediately started bleating "but Malbecfan is wearing them..." to which the HoD replied that they were a completely different shoe. Mine had proper reinforced soles and there was a medical reason for me wearing them and she went off in a big strop. She also thought it was fine to rock up in designer jeans which flaunted her nice figure...!

When I worked in a secondary school, most of the women were in sandals, floaty skirts and spaghetti strap vest tops all summer, the men were still in proper shoes, suit trousers, shirts and ties.

The dress code was professional attire. The women were never pulled up on the fact they were dressed for the beach, but the men were taken aside if they took their tie off!

As another poster has shown, there is a difference between flip flops and smart sandals.
Unless you are in an environment with actual health and safety issues, smart sandals should be accepted in all workplaces in my opinion.

Then again, I work in a sensible school where skirt, sandals and blouse is accepted and men can wear chinos, shirt and tie. No expectation of full business dress.

Professional dress does not mean business dress. Many schools (like many workplaces) tend to be business casual. Still professional, no denim, not dressed for the gym/beach, but not full suits on demand.

We have the same rule. You need to be able to move quickly in an emergency. Could you run in shoes without a back or would you trip out of them? Flip flops are an aberration and very bad for the posture anyway.

Could you run in stilletoes? And we aren't talking about flip flops, we're talking about sandals.

I don't really run in my job to be honest.

Jimmy, if there was an emergency and you had to flee to safety you would slip your shoes off and run - just as you would for stilettos

I teach year 2. I wear backless sandals in summer.

My current school has a much less stringent dress code than my previous one. But everywhere I’ve ever worked has said no backless shoes. I thought it was pretty standard.

Luckily there are plenty of really nice backless sandals about. Bought 2 pairs in Tesco today for £22.

Our school has:-
No open toes
No backless shoes
EYFS staff must wear flats
No trainers or anything remotely resembling trainers or plimsolls, except for PE lessons when you must wear trainers
No thongs (head is not from UK, we thought he was starting to dictate our underwear choices, but it turns out 'thongs' are flip flops)
No Converse, Uggs, or any other brand you have heard of or their cheapo rip-offs

It would be easier to say, look, you can wear brogues, loafers or ballerinas.

My previous head used to wear Birkenstock in summer and Ugg boots in winter.

I miss her!

Haha hes justin timberlake

Do they do that slapping thing when you walk? That noise really pisses me off.

They do look a bit grotty in a professional environment. It's rarely so hot in the UK that feet covering shoes can't be worn.

Not allowed to wear any kind of of sandals, particularly open toe at our school!

I'm a TA in a primary school, and spend all day up and down stairs, on my feet for break duty, an hours lunch duty, and so on. Heck, even to laminate, or collect printing means going along corridors, downstairs and across the hall.
Most TAs wear trainers, converse etc, and luckily, we are allowed open toes and flip flops too. The classrooms are so hot, and I'm so hormonal that I'm throughly greatful to be able to pad around in flip flops, especially after a long, hot day on my aching feet.
It's still possible to look smart, even in trainers, and I think there would be a mutiny with the support staff, if trainers were banned.
We never get five minutes to sit down!