A MUM is fuming over claims her daughter was “singled out” for wearing black trainers at school – despite having a medical condition and a note from a GP.
Skyla Tomlin, 13, wore the Nike Air Force Ones after being diagnosed with a stage three ingrown toenail.
SWNSLaura, 44, with daughter Skyla Tomlin, 13[/caption]
SWNSSkyla’s black Nike trainers that she wore to school[/caption]
SWNSSkyla had a medical condition and a note from a GP[/caption]
But mum Laura, 44, says her daughter was still sent out of class – leaving her in tears.
Skyla has been missing days at school on and off for the last two months – but now hasn’t attended at all for two weeks.
Laura, a civil servant from Portsmouth, said: “I feel like Skyla has been singled out – wearing the school-regulated shoes is excruciatingly painful for her.
“She’s been treated like she’s a naughty child – but she has a medical condition.
“Her attendance is now at 86 per cent – because she’s too afraid to even go to school.
“She kept phoning me up in tears, saying they’d sent her out again. It carried on for weeks.”
Laura first noticed Skyla’s in-growing toenail in November 2023 – but the teen had hidden it from her mum for weeks previously.
While performing at a dance competition, Laura noticed her toes were “covered in pus and blood”.
She took Skyla to her GP – who said she had a stage-three ingrown toenail. The condition had developed so much, she’d need surgery to remove it.
And she was prescribed penicillin, to take four times every day until the surgery.
Her GP issued a free doctor’s note, giving Skyla written permission to wear her PE trainers to school.
But after the Christmas holidays, Skyla phoned Laura up to say she’d been taken out of class.
Skyla said: “The day I went into school wearing my Air Forces, I brought the doctor’s note with me.
“I was sent to the office by my teacher, and they were all saying I couldn’t wear shoes with a logo on them.
“I showed them my doctor’s note, but they still sent me a written warning.
“I was quite upset because it made me feel like their policies were more important than my health.”
Unable to wear any other pair of shoes, Skyla continued going to school wearing the trainers – and showing her teachers the doctor’s note.
But on January 15, Laura got a call from the teen in tears – saying she’d been “told off again”.
Laura claimed: “I put in a request to see the uniform policy but was told it was only ‘uniform information’ – which makes me wonder why they’re saying trainers are against school policy.
“I tried to ask for reasonable adjustments for my daughter’s condition – but they refused to engage.”
Neither Laura or the school have managed to resolve the matter in the last two months – and Skyla now refuses to attend.
Laura says the “debacle” has been “detrimental” to her daughter’s mental health.
School uniform rows
Skyla’s trainer issue is the latest in a long line of school uniform rows
Pupils at Sheringham High School, in Norfolk, had to “miss lessons” because of a bizarre uniform row which saw their shoes confiscated in September last year.
Headteacher Alastair Ogle said that trainers have not been allowed at the school since 2018 and added that no children were sent to isolation for their footwear.
A massive row over uniforms at Hartsdown Academy in Margate went on for days with a ‘Gestapo’ headteacher refusing to let kids inside for flouting the strict dress code.
Headteacher Matthew Tate today appeared on ITV’s Good Morning Britain to defend his decision to close the school gates on pupils, and said the majority of parents back him.
Parents were furious after the headteacher at Heworth Grange School in Gateshead changed their children’s school uniform four weeks into the new term in October 2019.
Marc Doyle, Executive Headteacher said the decision was made after consultation, with every student gifted a new tie for free – while the old polo shirt could be used for PE.
Parents of pupils at Ryders Hayes School in Walsall were outraged after their children were being humiliated and their lockers ‘raided’ for not wearing a school’s logo in September 2018.
The school said changes were made in response to pupils coming in with large coats and bags – while the uniform change was made in consultation with parents.
Gill Long took on Heckmondwike Grammar School, in West Yorkshire, over its ‘extortionate’ £165 uniform price in July last year and won.
Headteacher Peter Roberts said at the time there was a “minor difference of understanding” and the school would be responding to the Department of Education in “due course”.
Skyla said: “I felt upset, and they’ve stopped me from seeing my friends.
“I’ve been punished like I’m a distracting kid who doesn’t do my work. But I enjoyed school before.”
Ashley Howard, headteacher at Mayfield Senior School said: “Our school is committed to supporting every one of our pupils.
“We provided this child with new shoes to help her manage her condition, at our own cost.
“We continue to try to help the family find footwear which is both comfortable for the child, and is in line with our school uniform guidelines.
“As such, we have offered to pay for another pair of appropriate shoes which the family can choose.”
The Sun has approached Ms Howard for further comment.