A TikToker has shared that her daughter couldn’t put on these footwear within the classroom, and everybody immediately knew why

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With youngsters now again at college, dad and mom are sharing their experiences with new classroom guidelines. For one TikToker, although, the discourse went rather a lot deeper than initially anticipated. 

In a viral video posted on Sept. 16, 2025, TikToker Dana (@muadana) confirmed viewers the lovable pink Croc-style footwear she had bought for her daughter, earlier than demonstrating their light-up mechanism as the conclusion sank in. 

Some commenters had been confused as to why this meant the footwear wouldn’t be appropriate for a classroom, however others immediately understood. 

Why light-up footwear increase security issues in America

The video, which has 1.5M views as of September 18th, was posted alongside the caption “IYKYK. I hate it here.” Dana—a mother of 4—defined to viewers the reasoning for the brand new faculty rule.

“This is how you know that living in America is so f****d up”, she started. “My four-year-old daughter’s school asked us for classroom Crocs,” she mentioned. “They are meant only for the classroom so they don’t bring in outside germs.”

@muadana

IYKYK. I hate it right here.

♬ unique sound – dana

Dana explains that she headed to DSW the place she purchased a pair of pink Croc-style Skechers footwear adorned with rainbow hearts, stars and unicorns. “I knew that she would absolutely adore them, and she did,” she mentioned. 

However, Dana quickly realized that the footwear had been unsuitable for her daughter, demonstrating this by tapping the rainbow coronary heart, inflicting your entire shoe to flash and illuminate. Dana didn’t have to say why; commenters immediately flooded in with assist and acknowledgement.

What dad and mom exterior the U.S. didn’t perceive

“Every parent in America understood this video,” wrote one commenter. 

“I don’t put beads in my daughters hair during the school year for the same reason,” another person mentioned.

User Lexi’s Mom confirmed her assist, including, “Uvalde mom here. It shouldn’t be this way” to which different commenters expressed sympathy. 

Other feedback got here from customers residing exterior the United States who expressed preliminary confusion, earlier than coming to a realization. 

“Canadian here. I had no idea what the problem was until I read the comments,” mentioned MaggieMay. 

“I don’t get it? However I’m Australian so this may be why. Is pink not allowed?” consumer Bbbec questioned.

“The lights can expose her while she’s hiding in an active shooter situation,” Dana later clarified. 

“Before I had kids, another mom told me she would never buy her kids light-up shoes for school because in the case of an active shooter, the lights would give her child away. That stuck with me and will for the rest of my life,” Dana informed the Daily Dot.

“How something so innocent, is so dangerous for our children, all because the United States loves its Second Amendment so much.”

Why are light-up footwear not allowed in some faculties?

Dana’s video isn’t the primary to handle this. Light-up footwear, a mainstay of the Nineties and 2000s, have lately turn into a subject of debate throughout the web in response to rising issues about gun violence within the United States.

Discourse round this sometimes peaks in August and September amid the back-to-school rush. TikToker Sam (@heal.out.loud) posted a video on August third expressing her shock at discovering the footwear might endanger youngsters.

“I was absolutely appalled to find out that some of these active shooters will specifically look for the lighting up of children’s shoes, because that gives them an active target,” she mentioned. 

@heal.out.loud Just one piece of recommendation to maintain your infants protected this faculty 12 months #backtoschool #footwear #schoolsafety #safetyadvice #parentsoftiktok #momsoftiktok #dadsoftiktok #teachersoftiktok #busdriversoftiktok #protectthechildren #fyp ♬ War Worship – Spiritual Warfare Music Epic

Others have beforehand taken to subreddits, together with r/AmIOverreacting to hunt recommendation on the difficulty. One publish from September 2024 reads, “My son is 3 and started pre-school this year. My mom wanted to buy him his very first pair of school shoes. She got him a pair of light up Sketchers and was really excited about them but my first thought was of him trying to run/hide from a school shooter and his shoes giving him away.” 

Redditors additionally supplied broader clothes recommendation to oldsters scared about sending their youngsters to highschool. “If it’s a school without a uniform, dark clothing. Do not do light-up shoes or sequined/glitter items,” u/DownwiththeMomLife defined.

Dana additionally revealed that she noticed related feedback on her personal video—prompting her to purchase sneakers for her daughter as an alternative. “Another parent in my comments said they don’t let their kids wear crocs to school because they can’t run fast enough in case of a school shooting,” she informed The Daily Dot.

Although Dana and different dad and mom are buying and selling suggestions amongst themselves irregardless of faculty coverage, some faculties are implementing stricter tips or bans and warning college students instantly about this recognized subject. Last 12 months TikToker @kountrykel, defined to 1.3M viewers that she first realized concerning the risks of sunshine up footwear from her younger daughter, after shopping for some for her toddler.

“So at the school they teach them not to wear things that are light up or bright, they bring attention to them. And this made me extremely sad, deep down” she mentioned. 

“They were something that used to bring joy to little kids,” she mirrored sadly.