With the coldest months of winter fast approaching, a school in the U.K. has banned luxury coats in order to help “poverty proof” its educational environment. Per Guy Davies (ABC News, 11-19-2018), the head teacher at Woodchurch High School in Wirral, England, moved to ban coats made by expensive brands after consulting with both parents and pupils. POVERTY SHAMING. This decision was made in hopes of preventing ‘poverty shaming’ and to reduce the stress on low-income families to spend beyond their means in order to keep up with higher earners. BANNED COATS. Canada Goose, Montcler and Pyrenex coats were going to be banned after the Christmas break. CANADA GOOSE - NOT WHAT YOU MIGHT THINK. Dr. Perrodin researched Canada Goose expecting to find a flashy clothing style that was geared to teens - but what he found was something much different...Canada Goose started in the 1950s as a small company focused on snowmobile suits and high-quality outdoors clothing - specializing in the use of down insulation. In the 1980s, inspired by one of the coldest places on earth, the Expedition Parka was developed to meet the unique needs of scientists at Antarctica’s McMurdo Station. It becomes standard issue and gains the nickname “Big Red.” In 2004, Canada Goose, which has long been the (un)official jacket of film crews everywhere it’s cold, made its on-screen debut in two key films: The Day After Tomorrow and National Treasure. IS THIS WEALTH SHAMING? Dr. Perrodin acknowledges that many coats displayed on the Canada Goose website sold for a thousand dollars. While this is expensive, he points out that this type of coat is also very specialized for bitter temperatures and also presents with a subtle, classy appearance. He believes it’s the type of coat that should last a decade or longer if properly maintained.
DR. PERRODIN’S PROBLEMS WITH THE BAN
INTELLIGENCE AND ABILITY SHAMING ON THE HORIZON? Dr. Perrodin acknowledges that today it’s wealth shaming and cautions that perhaps tomorrow it will be intelligence shaming. You know what they say in Japan, “The nail that sticks out shall be hammered down.” He closes with the example of the expectations of the person that seated adjacent to the escape hatch on an airplane - will we one day live in a world of ‘hatch-shaming’? FOLLOW DR. PERRODIN: Twitter @SafetyPhD and subscribe to The Safety Doc YouTube channel & Apple Podcasts. SAFETY DOC WEBSITE & BLOG: www.safetyphd.com The Safety Doc Podcast is hosted & produced by David Perrodin, PhD. ENDORSEMENTS. Opinions are those of the host & guests and do not reflect positions of The 405 Media or supporters of “The Safety Doc Podcast”. The show adheres to nondiscrimination principles while seeking to bring forward productive discourse & debate on topics relevant to personal or institutional safety. Email David: thesafetydoc@gmail.com LOOKING FOR DR. TIMOTHY LUDWIG, PHD? Dr. Perrodin’s “Safety Doc Podcast” negotiates school and community safety. To be informed about industrial safety, please contact Appalachian State University Professor Dr. Timothy Ludwig, PhD, at www.safety-doc.com
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