Girl, 11, Is Sent Home on 1st Day of School Due to Her Shoes – Mom Says 'It Was Just Awful'

For some, wearing Vivienne Westwood and Nike shoes is just another fashion statement, but for others, it was the reason they were excluded from one of the most important institutions of their lives.

Pupils attending Grace College in Gateshead, UK, were excluded from classes this week because of their choice of footwear, which has left their parents outraged and confused.

As the new school year kicked off this week in many countries worldwide, students entered the halls anticipating an average start to the year. However, what greeted the students at Grace College was far from the regular school day.

Many pupils at the college were sent home for wearing Nike or Vivienne Westwood shoes. One mother, Melissa Pope, was one of the reasons the story went viral: she shared her disgust with the school at how they treated her daughter and made her first day at school a "horrible experience."

What Happened at Grace College, Gateshead?

Pope, a phlebotomist, was horrified when she learned that her daughter had been told she had to go home. Pope could not get to the school herself and collect her daughter, leaving the young girl waiting until her grandmother could pick her up.

While Pope's daughter, Layla, waited for her grandmother, teachers "made her sit on hard, wooden floors for hours," where she was not even allowed to go to the bathroom. Pope lamented:

"There were 41 other people, and basically, she wasn't allowed to leave. They made her write down rules saying why it was her fault; she was in isolation - because she hadn't followed the rules."

Teachers also told Layla and the other pupils that they were allowed to have their lunch and pudding or they were allowed to have a drink, but that they were not allowed to do both.

As Layla sat in what Pope described as "isolation," she had to watch other children, who had dressed in what the school deemed appropriate, eat their lunches uninhibited by the teachers' watchful eyes. Pope felt her daughter was "treated like a dog."

Pope was confused about why her daughter had been told Vivienne Westwood pumps were a health and safety issue since she had been wearing them for the first two years of her schooling career at Grace College.

The school claimed it was because the top of Layla's foot was not covered, but other children wearing Nike boots had also been sent home because of their footwear, leaving many confused. Pope said the entire ordeal was "just awful."

After the ordeal, Layla told her mother she did not want to return to school, and Pope agreed that she did not have to return. Pope clarified:

"It's a school, it's not a camp. They're getting treated like they're in the Army, and they have got to do this and that and wear this and that. It got to the point where it wasn't even about the shoes. I have not sent her to school today; I'm going to try and get her transferred to a different school."

What Did Grace College Say?

While Pope feels that the school's reasons for asking Layla and other students to leave was a "power thing," the school has reassured parents and students that they have reasons for requesting the students to leave.

The school explained that they asked students to wear plain black shoes with no fashion logos on them to ensure uniformity, safety, and security while the children were at school. They also said having all children wear plain black shoes ensured that no student felt pressured to follow trends.

A spokesperson for the school issued a statement saying that the learners had been enjoying a fantastic first week back at school but were aware of a few kinks they needed to iron out. The report also said:

"We reiterate the importance of applying our rules consistently on issues like uniform, not least for the vast majority of families who have sent children to school properly attired this week, and to ensure that all students feel welcome, safe, and free from any pressures."

The college declined to comment on the issues they had faced with many students. Instead, it kept the statement general, stating that all children were allowed to put their uniforms to the right, and if they couldn't, their parents were called.

Some felt the school was entirely justified in having sent the children home, while others believed that the school went too far. One thing that's certain is that little Layla Pope will not be returning to the school for the remainder of the year.

Although Layla did not have a pleasant experience on her first day back at school, one little boy was charmed when 70 of his father's colleagues escorted him to his first day back at school. Read the full story here.