A BOY of 14 was forced to wear slippers in class because his basic Dunnes Stores shoes did not meet school standards.

Ricardo Guglielminotti was sent home with a note for his dad asking him to shell out on leather shoes — with branded footwear Converse, Vans or Keds considered acceptable.

Dad-of-six Ricardo Sr visited St Peter’s College in Dunboyne, Co Meath, last week for a meeting with staff who offered him financial assistance for fancy footwear.

But he told the Irish Sun: “I’m not going to put out my hand to the school.”

Young Ricardo and his brother Max, 13, were both wearing €12 black canvas shoes but only Ricardo was asked to trade up to more acceptable footwear.

His dad told us: “We got a handwritten letter home asking us to get leather shoes.

“What he had was a pair of canvas shoes, but he was made to wear navy slippers around the school instead of them once they were spotted.

“Neither my wife nor I had texts from the school. Buying the shoes would have been the first thing we’d have done.”

Principal Maureen Murray declined to speak about individual students but said in a statement: “Parents are made aware of the uniform requirements at information meetings prior to enrolment in the school.

“Given the amount of communication we strive to provide at school level and Parents Association level, I am surprised that this is an issue for any parent. We are always willing to clarify matters for parents.”

@IrishSunOnline