Most schools that we have been to do not allow Crocs or Natives. Children need to wear closed toe shoes that stay on the children's feet when on. In addition to dangers others have cited with playground equipment (some insurance policies for schools do not cover injuries for shoeless, open-toed shoes, any type of slide on shoes, or croc type shoes from equipment), schools also need to ensure that in a fire or other emergency if they children need to leave the building quickly that they have footwear that will stay on. Teachers cannot keep track of a class of children and pay attention to shoes that could slide on or off while evacuating the group. And in the case that they need to walk over gravel or broken glass, they have to have safe footwear.

Anonymous wrote:These replies are weird. If a child is comfortable in Crocs then I don't see the problem. They stay on fine. My kid has to wear sneakers for PE, but otherwise I don't see the issue with Crocs. My kid doesn't wear Natives but they also seem fine.

They're a problem on the playground and they slip around on many children's feet, creating hazards even when walking across a classroom.

Crocs do not stay on kids feet, they are oversized and awkward. I have no idea why any parent, or anyone for that matter, thinks they are a good idea.

My son’s school allows any and all footwear, just need sneakers for PE. Email and ask.

Anonymous wrote:These replies are weird. If a child is comfortable in Crocs then I don't see the problem. They stay on fine. My kid has to wear sneakers for PE, but otherwise I don't see the issue with Crocs. My kid doesn't wear Natives but they also seem fine.

Crocs aren’t allowed at our school because the puffy foam they’re made of gets stuck in playground equipment and there have been some injuries because of it because the kids’ foot stays put while the rest of their body falls. Also not great for running because kids feet shift inside of them and they slip, twist ankles, and fall. Any kind of backless shoes are prohibited so kids won’t take their shoes off during the school day.

Do Natives run narrow? My kid has had two pairs and always wanted to take then off after 10 minutes even though he was enthusiastic to get them on initially.

These replies are weird. If a child is comfortable in Crocs then I don't see the problem. They stay on fine. My kid has to wear sneakers for PE, but otherwise I don't see the issue with Crocs. My kid doesn't wear Natives but they also seem fine.

They need to wear “real” shoes to school.

My kid has Natives he keeps at his preschool because they play in the creek sometimes. Otherwise he wears sneakers. His feet get really dirty if he just wears Natives all day. They are allowed, though.

Why would you send your kid to school in these? Do everyone a favor and buy some sneakers with Velcro closer.

Natives aren’t allowed at our school; shoes have to have fastenings.

They are pretty annoying anywhere with mulch, sand, or dust or if your kids have sweaty feet. They’re great for the sprayground, but otherwise my kids end up with slightly muddy feet and insoles even if they wear socks with them.

My son lives in natives all summer and into September, but we usually end up buying him sneakers in early September for cooler days and he wears them to school more often come October or so. I expect they’re “allowed” because they’re basically just rubber sneakers but they probably won’t want the wear them more than a month or so into the school year. Perfect for now, though.

I have not had any of my kids allowed to wear crocs to any school they have attended.

I remember years ago my daughter who’s not in middle school her schools would not allow crocs. I’m now having one entering PreK and another in k. Are crocs back to being allowed? Are natives terrible with mulch?