The principal at Amos K. Hutchinson Elementary School in Greensburg, Westmoreland County, spent the first few days after the holiday break outside, armed with a screwdriver, eyes peeled for wheel-heeled students.
When he found them, Jeff Mansfield popped the wheels out of their sneakers and dropped them into their bookbags.
"We asked them not to bring them back," Mansfield said. "They can wear the shoes without the wheels."
Heelys, the sneakers with a removable wheel in the heel, appear to be everywhere these days, especially among the elementary school set. By shifting weight, wearers can switch from walk mode to roller mode.
Sales of the shoes, introduced in 2000 and costing about $60 to $100 a pair, have topped 3 million in the United States. The craze is getting attention from school administrators who fear students could be injured.
Some schools in the Pittsburgh Public Schools have sent letters to parents telling them the shoes are not appropriate for school, spokeswoman Ebony Pugh said.
Some principals hold the shoes' wheels until the end of the day, she said.
"They wreak havoc on the floors, especially gymnasium floors," said Jim Cromie, communication specialist at Keystone Oaks School District, which has banned Heelys. "And they present a safety hazard, particularly on stairs."
Dr. Raymond Pitetti, an emergency room physician at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, said he was surprised any school would allow Heeleys because students could run into other people and be a nuisance.
Pitetti said he hasn't seen injuries from the use of Heelys, but they could cause kids to trip or fall.
"The potential is there," Pittetti said. "They can twist an ankle or break a wrist."
In Canada, the Canada Safety Council is recommending a ban on Heelys in all public buildings, malls, school hallways and playgrounds.
Penn-Trafford School District officials posted "No Heelys" signs in the high school hallways. Although none of the Westmoreland County district's schools have reported problems with the shoes, they are not permitted during school hours or during evening activities, administrative assistant Peggy DiNinno said.
Earlier this month, Jeannette School Board revised the district's dress code to exclude Heelys, citing safety concerns.
Dr. Richard King, principal at Jeannette McKee Elementary School, said the shoes seemed especially popular with older students, who regularly climb staircases to change classes.
"If you have a student stumble or fall," he said, there could be a domino effect. "We saw enough students using them that we thought we should address it."
Richard Stuempges, principal of Avalon Elementary School. said the shoes have become popular, especially in the past year.
Students are not prohibited from wearing the roller shoes at Avalon Elementary, though most students do not wear them to school, Stuempges said.
"That might affect safety, and that's what the concern with these shoes is," he said.
