A growing number of schools are banning these popular shoes, citing “safety” reasons; Crocs insists its shoes are suitable for “everyday activities”

A growing number of schools are banning Crocs – the comfy, bulky slip-on shoes – due to alleged “safety” concerns, claiming children continue to trip over their own feet and injure themselves.

THE beloved shoes — incredibly popular among teenagers and often decorated with charms, called Jibbitz – are banned in some schools in at least 12 states, Bloomberg reports.

Lake City Elementary School, GeorgiaL specifically mentions shoes in its dress code, saying, “All students must wear closed-toe shoes for safety reasons (no Crocs). »

Jonesboro High School in Georgia passed a ban last year, adding a disciplinary charge of in-school suspension for any student caught violating the dress code by wearing Crocs, 11 Alive reported.

Related: El Paso school bans all black clothing because it is ‘associated with depression’

And in Florida, LaBelle CollegeThe city’s dress code states: “Safe footwear must be worn at all times.” No open-toed shoes, bedroom slippers or shower shoes. All shoes must have a heel strap or back. Appropriate lace-up sports shoes must be worn during physical education. NO FANGS are allowed.

“Whenever someone mentions a foot injury, the first thing everyone says is, ‘I bet they wore Crocs,'” said Oswaldo Luciano, a nurse at LaBelle School. Bloomberg, referring to her group discussions with other nurses.

Tripping in Crocs is so common that it sparked a viral meme on TikTok, in which kids shared videos of themselves donning their Crocs — then quickly (albeit intentionally) tripping over their feet.

Crocs even acknowledged the meme, commenting “Only cool kids get it ” on one. videos.

And although children love the ease and comfort of shoes as well as the possibility of personalizing them, a the podiatrist told NPR that they are not ideal for wearing all day.

“I’ve seen more structural issues like heel pain, arch pain, sometimes more hammer toes because you have to grip the shoe to hold them up and so the toes are overworked,” said Priya Parthasarathy, podiatrist in Silver Spring, Maryland. , and spokesperson for the American Podiatric Medical Association.

But, she added, “Crocs are a godsend when you’re trying to get out of the house, because my 3-year-old can put them on by himself.”

Related: How to Wear Platform Crocs 3 Ways (And Still Look Cute, I Swear)

A Crocs spokesperson provided the following statement to PEOPLE:

“The Crocs Classic Clog are comfortable, casual shoes that are suitable for everyday use, but are not intended for athletics or more strenuous activities. We are not aware of any proven health and safety complications. /or safety related to the wearing of our products Since the creation of our brand, students have and continue to wear our classic clogs in their daily activities, whether before or after sport, as part of a school club. or simply as a way to showcase their personality. For many, our shoes create community and allow for personal expression – two factors that we know are important to students.

Recent research for “I love my fangs» on TikTok has returned nearly 140 million videos, so it’s clear that Generation Alpha’s love for foam shoes isn’t fading anytime soon – bans or not.