A Melbourne high school is in hot water after threatening students with detention for failing to comply with a strict new uniform policy.
The new rules at Fountain Gate Secondary College in the city's south-east mean students can now only wear all-black or all-white shoes.
Casual street footwear such as Converse, Vans and Nike Dunks are strictly off limits, 'ensuring safety and a consistent college uniform'.
The policy aims to make school clothing more affordable by eliminating the risk of peer pressure to wear expensive clothes and shoes.
But parents and students say the 'unnecessarily strict' rule has caused frustration and financial pain for families during a cost-of-living crisis.
The school has since been urged to reconsider its 'out of touch' policy and adopt a more practical and student-focused approach.
'I just had to buy new shoes for my daughter and trying to find all one colour in her size proved very difficult,' one parent wrote.
'What I found is not the comfiest and most supportive for her feet.'
Fountain Gate Secondary College has been urged to review its uniform policy changes
Students can now only wear either all-black or fully white shoes (the policy is pictured)
A current student wrote: 'Implementing this rule is highly unnecessary and is such a major setback for learning.
'Instead of getting up for school and worrying about tests and exams, we have to worry about getting the right shoes otherwise we get detentions all because we have the wrong footwear.'
A former student wrote: 'The school shoe rule is ridiculous and doesn’t affect the ability of students to learn and is more than often uncomfortable.
'Teachers and school faculty should really worry about students who are falling behind, not their shoe preferences.'
An online petition has attracted more than 100 signatures.
'This policy is overly focused on appearance rather than education,' it states.
'This policy feels out of touch. Students are being punished for minor details that do not disrupt learning or harm anyone.
'It creates unnecessary tension between staff and students over something that should not be a major issue.
Parents and students have urged the school (pictured) in Melbourne's south-east to consider
The petition adds that parents and students are not asking for removal of uniform standards, just for reasonable flexibility.
While it acknowledged that retailers such as Kmart have cheaper approved options, it does not fully solve the issue.
'Lower-cost shoes may not be durable or comfortable enough for everyday school use, meaning they need to be replaced more frequently,' it said.
'For families already managing tight budgets, even smaller repeated expenses quickly add up.'
The Daily Mail has contacted the school and the Victorian Department of Education for comment.