In most schools (yes, even public schools) coaches can require you to dress out for PE. That could include wearing a particular type of shoe. Dressing out can be a part of your grade.

Sometimes the reason coaches want you to have tennis shoes is to keep the surface of the gym floor nice. If hundreds of people walk across the floor and leave scuff marks everyday, that makes a lot of extra work for the janitors to do, and it could have been prevented by just wearing appropriate footwear. Another reason you should wear tennis shoes is that they are designed to support your foot when you are being active. Wearing other shoes could even make you more likely to be injured.

My advice: just do what the coach says. It will be easier to just change shoes each day for that class than to make a huge deal about it.

Just a few things come to mind, here:

1. What other type of shoes would you plan on wearing to gym class other than tennis shoes?

2. When you register for (yes, even a public) school, you are commiting to follow the rules of the school. They make you follow the attendance policy and take tests too, don’t they? They tell you when to eat lunch and what time to come to class.Keep in mind that some public school students wear uniforms, so you really don’t it that bad.

3. There is nothing worse than a sorry teacher. In my highschool years, we had classes where the teacher didn’t make us do anything. We goofed off and played cards or listed to music(at that time walkmans). We got points just for coming. At the time it was fun, but when I look back on all the missed learning that could have gone forth, I regret it. The other coach that didn’t make the students dress out was not looking out for the best of the students or for his reputation as a coach. Students respect teachers that follow rules. They may not be your favorite teacher, but you will remember them and have a greater respect for them.

Now the new coach is having to reap the benefit of the old coach’s leniency on not following the rules and making the students dress out/bring tennis shoes. Try not to give her a hard time.

4. I don’t mean any offense at you personally, please understand, but the young people today really do not have a respect for those in authority. Unless someone is cursing at your or hitting your or otherwise majorly disrespecting you as a human being, young people need to learn to listen to their teachers, parents, counselors, employers, etc. High school is just the beginning. There are a TON of rules that you must follow in college, and not to mention what your employer asks you to do on the job.

First off at first glance the website provided seems to be misleading and stats can be falsified to make a point. Take for example the divorce rate. How does prayer in school, help keep the divorce rate lower? Also, before 1963, the United States was thriving because of the economy after World War II. Crime rates increased because laws were changed, mainly in the desire of the United States to combat the war on drugs. *Cocaine was once used as an ingredient in Coke-Cola but is now illegal. These are just two examples of other factors that have played a role in the stats. Secondly, if you want to allow prayer in schools, fine. Religion does help people live a good a morale life; however the First Amendment does not establish nor does it prohibit the practice of any religion. So if you want prayers to be allowed back in school, then you need to allow everyone an opportunity to pray.

No he can’t! State law only allows public school gym teachers to make you wear special shoes no more than two days a week. He is taking advantage of you for his own personal gain!!!

Do you have a religious exemption? If so, then get your parents to go before the school board. If not, then start wearing those tennis shoes every day to PE class or get written up. If you do not pass PE in VA, then you receive no high school diploma.

Tell your parents to ask the principal to see the policy that states you HAVE to wear tennis shoes. If it’s not in writing, it’s a lie.

I don’t know but my gym teacher doesn’t emphasize on shoes

Sounds like they are acting like a dick. But then again maybe you’d rather your good school shoes not get trashed wearing them in gym too?

yes he can.

Put an extra pair in your PE locker.