Wearing Flip Flops to School?

I agree with you...with the exception of the last week of school, then it is hot and a more relaxed setting, IMO.

They are not allowed at any of the public elementary schools here in Austin, because they run the track every day and have recess..

Call the school office and just ask.

They are allowed in Middle school and high schools here.

My daughter is 13 and I still don't let her wear flip flops to school. I agree with you-it is not safe especially if they go out for recess or have stairs in their school.

As someone who broke her foot while wearing flip flops, I say NO! NO! NO! I never realized how dangerous flip flops and slides can be until I stepped off a step wrong and twisted my foot while wearing the flip flops. I broke four bones in my foot and ripped two ligaments. All from stepping off one step funny. Because flip flops and slides have no support for your feet, if you make one wrong move you can do real damage. The possibility for problems is huge at schools where kids are running and playing.

The orthapedic surgeon I had to see told me that the vast majority of children he sees with broken feet or sprained ankles were wearing flip flops or poorly fitting Crocs. He told me in no uncertain terms to never let my little kids wear flip flops. And it's advice I'll follow... I don't want my kids spending 12 weeks in a foot brace like I did!

NOT ONLY NO BUT HECK NO!!!!!

Flip flops are NOT school attire. PERIOD. They are not safe in school conditions. In fact - they are forbidden at our elementary school...yes, a child got injured (running on the playground, kid running behind caught up faster than they thought - stepped on the "flip flop" and she tripped - broken nose, chipped teeth, etc. parents threatened suing and instead the school said "no flip flops"..)

I don't care if everyone else is doing it - if they were jumping off a bridge -would you do it?!

Flip flops are for the beach and pool. NOT SCHOOL!

STAND YOUR GROUND!! NO MEANS NO!!!!!

No. I hate that they've become "shoes". Many schools ban them. Our elementary school asked us to keep SD's clogs (then an in thing) at home. It doesn't matter if all the other girls do x or y or z. I wouldn't allow it.

Our elementary doesn't even allow it. In fact, they ask for all closed toe shoes. It's a safety issue on the school site. Even if they did, I'd put my foot down on that one!

I completely agree for 2 reasons.
1 - They are a safety hazzard, which is why most schools will not allow them (at least in our area).
2. - I beleive children should wear "proper attire" at school. I think it sets a tone of respect for oneself and for the school.

I would check with the school by laws.

Even having lived in sunny SoCa and hot Phoenix our kids were not allowed to wear flip flops to school due to the potential problems of having exposed toes during recess. And no open sandals were ever allowed during gym.

I wonder if MO just hasn't had the same problems yet so there is not dress code to address it. But it's never too late and you might be just the mom to get it added. Because you are totally right, flip flops are not safe at school.

And one example, when my daughter was in the 1st grade, the door to the bathroom stall wouldn't reopen when she was done, so she had to give it a good push and the old door rusted right off it's hinges and landed right on her foot. Had she been wearing flips, it would have been broken for sure. Thank goodness she had sneakers on. It was very scary and who would of thunk of that situation?

I am fairly certain our school policy says no flip flops. These aare not my favorite shoes.

Many schools have a 'close toed shoe' rule. All elementary schools I taught at had such policy.

I personally don't have a problem with flip flops. I love them. Didn't even like them till I was in college. I wear them just about every day of the summer and spring. I'm wearing them as we speak. I wore them when I got married. My husband wears them any time he wears shorts.

That being said, my almost 3-yr-old has never worn them. He falls down enough as it is. Don't want some flippy thing tripping him up all the more.

The way I see it -you are teavhing your daughter what it is to be 'presentable' and 'respectful.' Teachers don't wear flip flops - they dress nicely to be respectful of their students and staff and their profession. Students should take the same level of respect for their education and dress appropriately. When I was in High school, we had to tuck in our t-shirts. Hated the rule, but it was a lesson in dressing for the real world where you are trying to get a job and hold a job, etc.

LOL - every school that my kids have ever attended flip flops were against the dress code and they would have to sit on the bench during recess if they wore them.....that being said, even if they were allowed, I would not let my kids wear them. On the other hand, I really don't think that the school should tell me what shoes I can/cannot send my kids to school in. I bought both of my kids nice pairs of keen's they cost me a lot of money, they are like hiking shoes that are canvas but are kind of open so that your feet can breathe in the summer time. They said the kids couldn't wear them. I thought that was completely ridiculous. I guess there are so many parents who do not put their kids' safety first that they have to be this way, but seriously, those shoes are not a safety hazard. sorry for the rant.....

Flip flops on little kids are for the beach, NOT school!

In our elementary school they have to be closed toe and heel. That was the same when we lived in CA of all places! It is for safety reasons. Let her put them on when she gets home. That's what my girls do.

Our school doesn't allow flip flops at all. Even on the days they don't have PE. It's because of the running around at recess and the possibility of injuries. Check with the school and see if they don't have a rule against them.

I do see flip-flops at our elementary school and it makes me nuts. So do Crocs (sorry, Croc lovers, they were designed for wear on board boats --not for kids or adults to wear while running, hiking, or climbing). I am a qualified leader for GS challenge course and anything other than closed toe, closed back shoes is banned because anything else is dangerous. No matter what "the other kids are all doing," you're the boss; send her to school in what you decide is appropriate and safe. Also -- I always wonder how gym teachers react to flip-flops at school! The gym teacher at our school made one kid sit out because she kept wearing Uggs boots on gym days and he said it wasn't allowed. Now that it's getting warmer here, I hope he will do the same when kids come in flip-flops.

Sorry, I think they're fine.
I love my flip flops, and my kids love theirs, too.
I think they're fine.

If they're doing gym, or something rigorous that would require normal shoes, then, no. But just to go to school and hang around at recess? They're OK with me.

It's against school dress code policy here to wear flip flops/sandals to school.
They can't run with them in gym. They fall off feet and don't offer a lot of protection and playground mulch/slivers get into them.
If they have a fire drill or (Heaven forbid) a real emergency where they have to evacuate the school the last thing they need is flip flops falling off feet as kids try to make an orderly exit.
Just tell your daughter the school doesn't allow it.
If the school is not enforcing their rules (and other kids are wearing them) - complain to the principal / school board. It's a safety issue. They need to get on the ball about it and enforce it.

Your school should have a dress policy. I would call the Principle and talk to them about the issue. Rules are so that everyone is equal. If others are wearing flip flops I would raise the issue that if those kids get a toe ripped off while playing kickball on the playground that the parents are likely to sue the school. The Principle may decide to enforce the rules and send some kids home to change. Then it would not be an issue anymore.

First off, your child's school may have rules against wearing flip flops to school at that age. I don't let my 5 year old wear them to school because she's SO uncoordinated, but I let my 7 year old wear them because she has palmoplantar hyperhydrosis, and her feet sweat excessively, especially in shoes and socks.

Second, as your child gets older, the fight is going to get tougher. I hated GOING to high school, but always got my work done. I never would have gone if I couldn't wear flip flops... I live in them to this day.

For me, flip flops were my bartering tool ;)

Our school has a policy that all shoes must have backs (safety navigating stairs). They also have a policy that there are to be no open toed shoes on the playground if you want to use the playground equipment.

If you checked your school's handbook you'd probably find a similar policy.

Hello!! I have the biggest pet peeve about this. Parents, we ask that the children not wear them on the playground, because, if you're looking for body control, wrong answer. We have so many accidents around the schools and childcare facilities, because of these shoes. If they just have to wear them, tell the teacher, to have them change, before going outside. If the child refuses, then the consequence is, they stay indoors at the principles office. We have to be the parent!! NO MEANS NO!! That's my final answer!! : )

I teach middles school and flip-flops aren't even ALLOWED for the students (and they aren't really running around like monkeys).

Hold firm, mama.

HTH
T.

I know at a lot of schools, flip-flops have been banned, as well as Crocs - they slip off too easily when the kids are running around the play ground and they end up twisting an ankle or something. Even if they were not against the rules, I wouldn't let my DD wear them - not worth taking the risk of an injury.

I can't stand flip flops. They are horrible for your feet. Ask a foot doctor.

Our school has send NUMEROUS reminders during warm weather months reminding the parents that Crocs and flip flops aren't acceptable footwear and aren't safe going up and down the stairs. I think those ballet slipper shoes aren't the greatest either. There's next to no shoe to hold onto the foot. Just yesterday a little girl got out of the car and her shoe came off.

I'd check with the school if they even allow flip flop "shoes." I bet they don't.

My guess is if you look in your school handbook it will say no flip-flops. They can probably wear sandals as long as they have a strap that goes around the ankle but not flip-flops. Totally unsafe

Most schools are a "no" on flip-flops! Even a past daycare (sad it closed) was against them for the kids! And sandals had to be/must be more like the closed end ones (woven or such) so that little toes don't end up hurt!

Nope, our school only allows closed toed shoes that cover the entire foot, they don't even allow crocs.

No, I agree. It wasn't even allowed at my daughter;s preschool. Bur I don't doubt that lots of other moms/dads don't care or pay attention. Maybe let her buy some fancy sandles that won't fall off?

I don't let my kindergartner wear them...maybe in jr. or high school but at this point she is too much of a clutz to wear them. She debates it all the time with me.

Safety and rules aside,,flip flops aren't even good for your feet.There is no arch support, no side side support so you end up with fat, flat feet and then can't get any other shoes to fit. Call a podiatrist and ask. No one should be wearing them other than now and then at the beach or in a public shower when camping to protect from jerms.

I agree. Not appropriate.

I'm with Trish: camping with my family in the desert, I was climbing a rock, my flip flop flooped (ha ha!) off my foot and when I fell, I gouged the sole of my foot on a rock. That laid me up for a few days!

I have a preschool and personally don't like when parents send their kids in flip flops. Everything is relatively safe, but the kids like to throw stuff into the sandbox when they're "done" with it. Some of those things are child-sized metal trowels and shovels. I'm thinking:"severed toes, anyone?" Plus the kids can't run in them without risk of a blowout. Either to the shoe or themselves.

I grew up wearing them all the time ( in Honolulu, we called them 'slippahs'), but as an adult on the mainland, my son will likely be wearing his Keene sandals to school on hot days. No flip flops until he's old enough, and then, not to school.

Very inappropriate for a six year old. By high school, if the school does not
have rules against it, that would be OK.

No~our school has a no flip flop rule.. what about compromise such as keens or crocs?

My kids not old enough to be in school yet so I was really surprised by the answers here. I had no idea that flip-flops were so no-no!

I didn't read your prior posts but in AZ it's all the kids wear, except on PE day. No big deal for us but we are used to wearing them year round. good luck!

Looking in your school handbook is a good idea but I actually don't know what mine says. I never bothered to look on this subject because I just wouldn't let my kids wear flip flops to school. There's actually a lot of stuff I won't let my kids wear to school just because I think they should be well groomed. I'm one of those mamma's that would be ecstatic if they had to wear school uniforms. There need to be standards (as well as safety considerations) and wearing flip flops to school, as well as sweats, tank tops, pj's, etc. certainly don't belong.

I guess I'm against the majority here. I have no issue with flip-flops or Crocs at elementary school. Our school is is like an oven on warm days, no A/C, and my daughter has skin issues when her feet overheat, plus one of her feet is bigger than the other and she has sensory issues. She never wears socks. School can be a misery if she is not comfortable. She'd prefer to wear no shoes at all, but of course she's not allowed to go barefoot! They do not allow flip flops or Crocs for gym, so she has a change of shoes for gym and recess. Much to her delight, the gym teacher approved Keen's, which she wears most days. Aside from gym and recess, there isn't much running around in 3rd grade, I don't see a huge risk. If my daughter doesn't mind carrying multiple pairs of shoes and changing when she needs to, I have no issue with it at all. Right now the big footwear rule is that if you don't have boots on at recess you can't play in the snow. Yes, we still have big piles of snow, so she's not asking for flip flops this year. . . yet.

Totally agree with you. NOT SAFE!!! I was stupid enough to play softball with the kids when camping and was wearing slip-on pumps. Didn't feel any pain at the time but the next day WOW = AGONY. Doc told me "were you running around wearing those silly shoes" lol eh yep. :-( 2 years later and I still get pain when I don't wear proper filled in shoes. :-(

I think flip flops are inappropriate, and I'm surprised the school allows it! It's way too easy for them to turn an ankle on the playground, as well as flip flops offer almost no protection for their feet (who knows what could be out there on the playground - glass, thumbtacks, nails, playground bark). I guess this can be your first discussion about, "If your friends all jumped off a cliff, would you?" ;)

Do they allow flip-flops there, because my son and his friends all told us they were each wearing them (we moms conferenced) then found out, they're not allowed. One kid wore them, parents didn't know the rule and they couldn't bring in sneakers, so the school let it go for the day. That turned into everyone trying to wear them. i would check.

No - It's not appropriate.

You might check with your school office - my sons' school doesn't allow flip flops to be worn.

First I'm shocked that the school allows it. Second my physical therapist told me she makes more money of people that wear them then anything else they are horrible for your back so I imagine for a growing child they would be bad. Remember you have to pick your arguments well and I think this is one you feel strong about.