Saint-Denis: a college bans tap dancing, students protest against this injustice

You have probably already noticed it while strolling in the street: the trend of tap shoes among young people has particularly developed in recent years to the point of becoming a real fashion phenomenon. So much so that in the Paris region, a college in Saint-Denis had to ban this habit from its students.

Credit: Victoria Kotlyarchuk / iStock

Initially, the tap-to-sock look was mostly seen in top athletes when they took off their shoes at the end of games and needed to feel comfortable. But quickly, rap seized this fashion, and more generally, the younger generations, great followers of this very popular musical scene, took up its codes.

Only here, this clothing trend is not to everyone's taste. And precisely, the management of the Elsa-Triolet college, located in the department of Seine-Saint-Denis, north of Paris, has chosen to prohibit its students from going to class in socks . Indeed, since the start of the school year, we can read in the internal regulations of the establishment that this is prohibited.

And contrary to what one might think at first glance, the reason is not only the beach and vacation aspect. Security reasons are also mentioned: “in classes where students are required to handle chemicals, teachers have complained that the feet of those who wore sock taps were not sufficiently protected” explained a professor to our colleagues from Parisian.

Banning sock tap dance: a misunderstood decision

Obviously, as one might expect, the ban is not well received by the students. Many do not understand and find this unfair. “We are more comfortable, we feel freer, even more when it is hot” confides in particular Laetitia, 15 years old. For her part, Lola, from middle School Camille-Claudel in Paris, wonders: 'if we have the right to wear sneakers, why not tap shoes?'

As a reminder, in France, the law only prohibits religious symbols in the walls of the school, for the rest, it is up to the school director to make his own choices with regard to whether or not to prohibit. In recent years, many colleges have, for example, given up on crop tops, ripped jeans or even tracksuits.

What do you think ?