A teacher’s crusade to promote frugality by forcing students to wear domestic shoe brands has tripped over criticism, including from the school where he teaches with the administration pulling the rug from under his feet saying he got the board’s educational message all wrong.

“(Students) wearing expensive shoes and comparing with each other is against the frugal lifestyle that we (at the school) are promoting. From next week, all students should wear domestically-made shoes, and we hope parents cooperate with the school. If anyone is found wearing imported shoes, parents will be asked to deliver the right shoes to school,” read the message.

The teacher's argument found a leg to stand on among some netizens who thought it is reasonable for schools to have such requirements in order to rein in unnecessary comparisons. Others, however, questioned whether foreign brands like Nike and Adidas shoes that are made in China should also be part of the ban.

Even though China’s manufacturing sector is quickly losing its footing against Southeast Asian countries due to rising costs, the country still took up about half of the global market of sports shoes in 2015.

When searching on China’s largest e-commerce platform Taobao, domestic shoes can sometimes be selling at higher prices than those imported. Limited editions of Li Ning, one of China’s biggest athletic footwear company, could cost as much as 13,999 yuan (about 2,030 US dollars).

The school responded to the news, saying that as students are required to wear school uniforms every day, some turn to shoes to show off. It noted that cases have been recorded about students threatening their parents to quit school if they don't get expensive shoes.

However, the academic institution did clarify that they do not force students to only wear domestic brands, and that the teacher misinterpreted the school’s message, which opposes extravagance and waste and promotes frugality.