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05th Sep 2021

Mum left fuming after learning her son’s €75 school shoes are no longer allowed

Trine Jensen-Burke

Mum angry over 'stupid new' shoe ban at son's school

“Why do we have to put up with this?”

As we all know, there is nothing new about school guidelines detailing what pupils can and cannot wear.

It’s standard practice for most primary and post-primary schools to have some pretty strict rules in place when it comes to student’s uniforms and appearance.

However, can we all agree that some of these are a tad ridiculous at times?

This week, a UK mum was left fuming after learning the €75 she had spent on her son’s new school shoes was a waste of money as the school had updated their guidelines on footwear, and the Kickers she had bought were no longer allowed.

Explaining that her son is due to start secondary school soon, she had taken note of the uniform guidelines that said pupils must wear black that do not resemble trainers, and had bought him a pair of  Kickers shoes with the intention they would last the school year.

More formal shoes tend not to last, she revealed, as her son – as one would imagine – loves to play football and run around at break time.

Posting her frustration on Mumsnet, she wrote:

“This is not on the main school uniform webpage which is what I checked to get his uniform but on a sub-page for new Yr7s which I had read but only skimmed over the uniform bit as assumed it was the same as the main page.

“I spent money on these shoes, which IMO are common school shoes, he may not now be able to wear. He won’t be wearing them out of school either obviously! I got them online direct from Kickers with a 14-day return policy which has run out now.

“Would I be unreasonable to just send him in on his first day in them?”

The mum continued: “They have the name on the heel as well in big letters in bright green and red as well as the tag on the front though.

“Why should I have to deface a brand new pair of shoes just because of a stupid rule they’ve just brought in. Kids have been wearing Kickers to school for years!

“Why do we have to put up with this crap?”

Other parents were quick to chime in with advice and express what they would do in her situation.

“I’d take a screenshot of the main uniform page and email the school and explain the problem,” one parent wrote.

“I wouldn’t just send him in, you don’t want him to be told off/singled out on his first day!”

Another one said:

“I would send him in them and if they complain ask them to show where on their uniform policy it says they are banned.”

Have YOU encountered this problem in your kids’ school? Let us know in the comments.