I have been doing an informal survey on my customers to see whether their children have ever had to remove their shoes in school.
a) every child has been asked to remove their shoes as part of “regular” activities, i.e. soft play, ball ponds, doctors or nurses doing checkups, various sport activities done without footwear.
b) Most schools do not allow children to come in crocs, and some do not allow sneakers too. Many schools ignore it if the children come in once or twice, but eventually warn the children the first time, and then either send them home, or confiscate the footwear.
Some also insist on sneakers for sport activites, and at least one boy said that if they forget their sneakers at home two weeks running they have to forfeit their shoes for AN ENTIRE DAY.
And now some interesting ones.
C) a maths teacher who told all the childrfen to remove their shoes and then showed them how to measure all the feet, and taught the chidlren how to make graphs.
d) a rebbi who if he sends a boy out of class first confiscates his shoes, he says he doesn’t want the boys playing soccer in the yard when he sent them out of class!!!!
e) one school take off both the shoes and socks and CLIMB ROPES BAREFOOT!!!
f) a rebbi who runs a quiz, where if you don’t know a question you take off your shoe. if you lose both shoes you’re out.
g) a sports teacher who tells the boys to do head stands and tumble overs in stocking feet.
There were quite a few more, each stranger than the next, including art – draw round your barefoot, or draw your shoe! science activities, plays… you name it.