Boy is booted out of class over his shoes
AMUM has hit out at a school after her son was put into isolation because his shoes did not meet uniform guidelines.
Nathan Smith, 11, was sent out of his lesson at Cheadle Hulme High School after a teacher spotted the reflective strips on the back of his footwear.
His mum Heather Smith claims her son was then placed in the isolation room for the day and told to colour the reflectors in with a black marker pen. Only then was Nathan, who has ADHD, allowed back into his lesson, according to Heather.
A spokesman for the school said the uniform policy is made clear to all parents.
But Heather, a mum-oftwo, said: “Nathan came home from school and said ‘mum, you’re going to have to get rid of those shoes’ and explained what had happened.
“To be honest I have a bit of nightmare finding the right shoes for him anyway. We only got these at the end of last term.
“They’re black Velcro trainers from the school shoe section in Next. When Nathan told me what had happened I couldn’t believe it.
“Not only that he was then told to colour the strip in with a black marker pen. When he went back in the classroom and showed the teacher Nathan said his teacher went ‘Oh, fabulous’. I’m not being funny but they’re almost brand new shoes.
“What I don’t understand is why other children are allowed to wear black Converse trainers but I’m told Nathan’s are unacceptable.”
When Heather contacted the school about the shoes last week she was told her son’s behaviour had also been an issue that week. She added: “I was told that his lack of attention in class had been a problem over the previous few days.
“The thing is he does have a disability and does struggle at school sometimes. But Nathan a lovely lad. He’s not naughty at all. I just thought it was harsh to punish him for something that wasn’t his fault.”
A spokesman for Cheadle Hulme High School said the school’s uniform policy was made clear to all parents at the beginning of term.
Guidelines given out to parents state that trainers are not allowed ‘in keeping with the smart appearance of a school uniform’.
Headteacher Linda Magrath added: “Our understanding is that this issue has now been dealt with to everyone’s satisfaction.”