Is it true that college professors are now teaching classes barefooted?

For what it’s worth, I go to school in San Diego (fairly warm weather), and have never seen or heard of a professor doing that.

No, it’s definitely not a trend.

I’ve been teaching college for over ten years and have never gone barefoot (or in sandals). I have, however, worn shorts when it’s really hot (I mostly teach in computer labs which can get very hot). Regardless, I always try to look professional.

It’s just your cousin.

Technically, I did have one professor teach in his socks once after we had a blizzard and he made an unfortunate choice in footwear. But it wasn’t a fashion statement, he just wanted to get his shoes dry.

@BarnacleBill my cousin nine times removed; never met him. I could not care less if he teaches in a Speedo. lol Actually, he may not be a cousin. He is from my grandmother’s family name and in the correct part of the US.

Depends on the culture of the college I suspect and also how much of an outlier the prof wants to appear.

It was frequent when I went to college in the Ozarks. At least until gym class when we all chased down a greased pig and finished by skinny dipping in the ol’ swimming hole. That was at the end of the day, anyway.

I did have a professor who taught in sandals and socks all year long. His explanation was that he had unusually long toes and shoes were not comfortable for him. While we never saw his bear feet to reach our own conclusions, everyone in the class used “prehensile” on a regular basis.

Never seen this. I’ve seen profs in everything from three-piece suits to jeans and sleeveless tops, but never barefoot.

What does it matter, anyway? Unless the prof is teaching a hands-on subject where closed shoes would be necessary for safety, I wouldn’t care.

@BarnacleBill He had bear feet?!?

Now even Birkenstocks are out? It seems that feet will get filthy dirty in a short time on a floor vs outside on the ground. Lots of germs and junk on a man made surface. Floors are nasty.

@breedmitch Did you not hear the part about the unusually long toes? Clearly, this man was bitten by a bear and became a werebear!

@breedmitch, he was a bear, with bare feet. LOL The sandals appeared too short, and even in socks, his toes curled over the front end. A very odd, unkempt man.

I’ve had one of my philosophy professors walk into class wearing a T-shirt that read “George Bush = Torture” – I’m really not too phased by the bare feet.

@Disc2021 Huh, I’d be just fine with the shirt, but the bare feet? Do you have any idea how much broken glass and other sharp, infected things there are on this campus? And if you don’t, am I really to understand that I should be listening to you?

on a somewhat related note: I read on an ice cream parlor window the other day, “shirt and shoes are mandatory for service”. So I thought, “are pants optional then?”

@cprevite They don’t need to put any kind of bottoms on there because they, unlike shoes and shirt, are required by law.

I suppose as long as the toenails are trimmed right then it’s fine.. Looking at scraggly unkempt toenails makes my skin crawl. There’s just no excuse.