Polishing black Harrison Iowa shoes

It’s that time of the year – back to school! Are your school shoes ready for the new year? If not, better get the shoe polish out, like the owner of this pair of Harrison Iowa laceup shoes.

Victorian monopoly on Harrison shoes

Shoes and Sox is a chain of shoe shops with stores all around Australia. But for their back to school sale, only the one state will have Harrison shoes in stock.

They offer plenty of options Clarks lace-up school shoes. But the Harrison Indy II is available in Victoria only.

And the same story on the Mary Jane page. The Harrison Indiana II is another Victoria-only shoe.

Back to school shoe promotions

Another school year is about to begin.

Girls can go back to school with the range of laceup and t-bar shoes by Wilde.

Or head to Spendless Shoes and select a pair from their range.

Newcastle High School

Newcastle High School might be located in the middle of New South Wales, but t-bar school shoes are still on their list of acceptable footwear for senior students.

2015

http://www.newcastle-h.schools.nsw.edu.au/documents/3715088/3721091/Year%208-12%20Handbook.pdf

The school expects that students wear closed in leather, lace-up style shoes. They must cover the top of the foot and have a small heel. Full leather thick strap T-Bar Mary-Jane shoes are acceptable.

Students MUST NOT wear skate shoes, black soft ‘ballet’ style shoes, open styled ‘Mary Jane’ shoes, canvas shoes or any similar.

Kickers t-bar school shoes

Kickers is a British shoe brand best known for their t-bar school shoes. Best known for their chunky, well ridged soles and tough buckle fastening, these shoes are anything but dainty.

Ballarat schoolgirls sent home for wearing short dresses

Schoolgirls wearing short skirts and the teachers who police them. A story as old as school uniforms!

March 2015

http://www.thecourier.com.au/story/2949189/ballarat-schoolgirls-sent-home-for-short-dresses/

Dozens of female students at Ballarat Secondary College were sent home on Monday from the Wendouree campus for their dresses being too short.

Parents say the school has lost sight of bigger issues, and argued they could not make the changes only a week after a letter was sent out to parents.

Year 10 students Miss B, Miss H and Miss G were among the girls sent home.

Miss B said she attended first period, when at recess she was told to get her belongings, was sent to the front office and told to go home.

“I wasn’t embarrassed, but I was angry. I’ve been here since year 7 and I’ve been a good student – yet I was sent home for something like this,” Miss B said.

“It shouldn’t be up to a male teacher to say that a student’s dress is too short”

Parent Mrs G said there needed to be stronger communication.

She said there was no way parents could adhere to the new rules overnight and that there needed to be a transition phase.

“It’s destroying our children’s education. They’re not letting them learn because of the length of their dresses,” Mrs G said.

“It shouldn’t be up to a male teacher to say that a student’s dress is too short.”

Mrs G’s daughter was told to unpick the hem on her dress a few weeks ago, only to be sent home on Monday with her dress still too short.

“It’s really tacky. I have to wear a dress unhemmed,” Emma said.

Mrs G said her daughter was sent home with another dress, which she could not afford to buy and her daughter did not want to wear because it had holes and buttons missing.

“A new dress is $79 from Lowes. We can’t all afford to buy new dresses every six months. I’m a single mother and I have three other children,” she said.

Ballarat Secondary College principal Rick Gervasoni, who started at the school last year, said he had asked that school uniform policy be enforced.

“These are rules we’ve had for a long time, well before I started, that covers all aspects of the uniform approved by school council.”

He said regulations stipulated that dresses be knee-length.

“Uniform gives a sense of identity and pride. It sets the tone for the day and gives a strong connection to the school.

“All schools in Ballarat have a uniform policy.”

Mr Gervasoni said a small number of students were sent home on Monday, after a period of communication with students and parents.

“Students have been spoken to over a period of time about what’s expected,”he said.

“We’re working with parents to make sure the policy is implemented, and supporting parents who couldn’t readily access more uniforms.”

He said all parents of students who were sent home were contacted and the school was working to resolve the issue.

“We don’t want students missing school,” he said.

Uniform policies are wide-spread across Ballarat, with most schools enforcing a knee-length rule for both summer dresses and winter skirts.

Plastic t-bar shoes by Melissa

Melissa is a Brazilian brand known for their plastic sandals. Their ‘Aranha 79-16’ shoe looks has the classic t-bar look and butterfly punch cut-out detail, but made 100% out of plastic.

As well as classic black, they come in white.

Black glitter.

Gold glitter.

Translucent.

Translucent and glitter.

And even with a platform heel.

Do you think a girl could get away with wearing them to school?

Copyright and school uniform fabric patterns

Schools aim to make their uniforms distinctive so that their students stand out from other local schools. But some schools take this to extremes.

May 2007

https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/archive/etc/Submissions/dress_codes/hawkesdalep12college300507.pdf

Recent investigation for new school winter skirt for a neighbouring school presented the government school with a threat of legal action from one of the regional catholic colleges if they decided upon a particular tartan design. The catholic school claimed the tartan was their property and couldn’t be replicated by another school even though there existed over l00 km between the schools.

Warrnambool schools in the news for banning t-bar shoes

In 2016 Warrnambool school Emmanuel College hit the news for banning t-bar school shoes.

15 August 2016

http://www.standard.net.au/story/4044522/safety-fears-prompt-swap/

Emmanuel College will ban girls’ T-bar shoes from next year in a bid to improve health and safety.

Principal Peter Morgan said the decision was made in consultation with staff, especially teachers of practical-based subjects.

“A lot of schools have already made the decision to move from T-bar shoes to sturdier lace-up shoes,” Mr Morgan said.

T-bar shoes expose the top of the foot, whereas lace-up shoes completely cover the foot.

“They’re not a sound or solid shoe and in practical-based subjects such as cooking or woodwork, open-toed shoes allow for knives or chisels to penetrate. Lace-up shoes provide greater protection,” he said.

The change will come into effect from the beginning of the 2017 school year.

“Any families purchasing new shoes for their daughters from now on, will need to purchase lace-up shoes to meet health and safety requirements.”

Mr Morgan said posturally T-bar shoes didn’t provide good support for the wearer but “at the end of the day the decision is based on safety.”

Rauert’s Shoex owner Peter Rauert said Mr Morgan had written a letter to inform him of the change which was not unique.

“Quite a few (schools) have changed from T-bars to lace-up shoes,” Mr Rauert said. “Hawkesdale were the first. Brauer did a couple of years ago and Emmanuel is starting to phase it in.

“There’s quite a few (schools) around the district and Melbourne metro have already banned them. It’s a progression you could say.”

Mr Rauert placed the store’s back-to-school orders in June and hoped there was enough lace-up shoes to meet the increased demand.

“Most of the girls are fairly happy. Most of the Emmanuel girls seem to be receptive to swapping over,” he said.

“We usually try to advise the family about the correct footwear to buy. If they want to go against it that’s their choice.

“Now as more kids swap over it will become acceptable. For the new ones coming through it will be the done thing,” he said.

Reminiscing about sensible brown t-bar shoes

Some mums reminisce about the days of sensible brown t-bar shoes.

Ah the days of sensible brown t-bar shoes! Did you have a pair like this?

Little girls might have worn a pair like these.

But older girls probably wore a pair more like this.

With some school girls still wearing them today.