On the second site to come up there was a poll about it, and here are some results:
Over 88% said that it was used as a punishment in their school.
36% said they loved it, 27% as no big deal
68% said they prefer to forfeit their shoes to staiying in detention.
Also, a quote;
Whether or not shoes confiscation is a punishment, it does solve problems. If you take away shoes for kicking and fighting,a student can not harm a person in just socks as he can with shoes on. If you take away shoes for running in the hall, the offender can not run in the hall very well in just socks. If you take away shoes for walking on the gym floor with shoes on, the person will not walk on the floor with shoes on because He has to be in socks. If you take away shoes for fogetting materials or leaving without permission, the person will not do that again because He would have to leave without his shoes. The goal is to solve the problem and keep the behavior from happening again. Shoe confiscation can do this for certain offenses.