U.S. school bans UGG-type boots used to hide phones

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Singer Nancy Sinatra may have had boots made for walking, but she never attended Pottstown Middle School.

Starting on Monday, a suburban Philadelphia school district is banning the wearing of sheepskin boots, including the popular UGG brand, to middle school classes because students have been using them to stash cell phones, which are not permitted.

"Cell phones are a problem for obvious reasons," said John Armato, director of community relations at the Pottstown School District.

Superintendent Reed Lindley said the school principal asked for the boot ban "because of the classroom disruptions that are resulting from ringing cell phones."

Students at the school can avoid going toe-to-toe with school officials by wearing boots that lace up and usually have a more snug fit.

First-time offenders will get detention, and subsequent violations include two detentions, followed by confiscation of the phone, Armato said.

Middle school parent Adrienne Beyer said she thinks the ban is extreme.

"I understand there may be a handful of kids that shove cell phones down their boots, but why does the handful have to ruin it for the other 600 students? But, I said to my daughter, 'It's a rule and we're going to follow it,'" Beyer said.

UGG sheepskin boots originated in Australia and have become popular with pre-teen and teenage girls in the United States in recent years.

(Editing By Barbara Goldberg and Eric Walsh)