(IN): School boards ready to kick leather, give canvas a shoo-in

[Guest guest]

*All schools run by The C.P. Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation in Chennai,

Kanchipuram and Kumbakonam (in Tamilnadu) stipulate that all children must

wear only canvas shoes. We make it very clear that we are against leather

shoes because we are against the killing of animals. *

****

*This is not new. These are the rules whenever we start a new school. *

**

*Another animal-friendly rule is that no non-vegetarian food or animal

products may be brought to school by the students or staff. *

**

*As a beginning, each one of us could use our influence with individual

schools and colleges to implement these rules.*

**

*Kudos to Maneka Gandhi if these rules are brought in at the all-India

level. It would certainly cut down the market for leather footwear.*

**

*Nanditha Krishna*

*

 

*

On Wed, May 5, 2010 at 12:07 PM, azam24x7 <azam24x7 wrote:

 

>

>

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/school-boards-ready-to-kick-leather-give-canva\

s-a-shooin/615226/

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> <

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http://www.indianexpress.com/news/school-boards-ready-to-kick-leather-give-canva\

s-a-shooin/615226/

> >School

> boards ready to kick leather, give canvas a shoo-in

>

> <

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http://www.indianexpress.com/news/school-boards-ready-to-kick-leather-give-canva\

s-a-shooin/615226/

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> *Anubhuti Vishnoi <http://www.indianexpress.com/columnist/anubhutivishnoi/

> >*

> *Tags : School<

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http://www.indianexpress.com/news/school-boards-ready-to-kick-leather-give-canva\

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> , Kids<

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http://www.indianexpress.com/news/school-boards-ready-to-kick-leather-give-canva\

s-a-shooin/615226/

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> , Shoes<

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http://www.indianexpress.com/news/school-boards-ready-to-kick-leather-give-canva\

s-a-shooin/615226/

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> , Leather<

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http://www.indianexpress.com/news/school-boards-ready-to-kick-leather-give-canva\

s-a-shooin/615226/

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> , Canvas<

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http://www.indianexpress.com/news/school-boards-ready-to-kick-leather-give-canva\

s-a-shooin/615226/

> >

> **Posted: Wednesday, May 05, 2010 at 0229 hrs**New Delhi:*

>

> <

>

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/school-boards-ready-to-kick-leather-give-canva\

s-a-shooin/615226/

> >

>

> Seen as “environmentally hazardous”, “unhealthy” and an “uncomfortable”

> vestige of the colonial empire, black, shiny leather shoes may soon be off

> school campuses across India. Instead, white canvas shoes, so far reserved

> for Physical Education lessons, may take their place in school uniform

> sets.

>

> A proposal to the effect, moved by MP and animal rights activist Maneka

> Gandhi, is learnt to have found favour with the prominent school boards

> Central Board of School Education (CBSE) and Council for the Indian School

> Certificate Examination (CISCE).

>

> Most schools in the country — private and government — have been

> stipulating

> black leather shoes as mandatory items in school uniform for years now. The

> People For Animals (PFA), which has been spearheading an anti-leather

> campaign, says the largest group of leather users are schoolchildren. PFA’s

> campaigns have already influenced 16 schools in Chennai to stop use of

> leather shoes, while a similar campaign is on in Chandigarh.

>

> Maneka Gandhi has been advocating that leather shoes be kept out of school

> uniforms for a while now, and had written to the Union Human Resource

> Development (HRD) Ministry in July 2009 protesting against their “rampant”

> use.

>

> “This decision was forced on Indians by the British. It is a decision that

> is not just unhealthy for children but environmentally very dangerous,”

> Maneka had written.

>

> Saying that the switch from leather shoes to canvas would also help “save

> parents’ money and is much healthier for children”, the Lok Sabha MP

> suggested that the HRD Ministry issue an executive order asking schools to

> opt for canvas shoes in uniform instead of leather ones.

>

> The HRD Ministry had then written to school boards asking for their views

> on

> the issue.

>

> While Gerry Arathoon, Additional Secretary and Officiating Chief Executive

> and Secretary of CISCE, has said the board agrees with Maneka’s views and

> calls leather shoes “unhealthy” and “environmentally hazardous”, the CBSE

> has gone ahead and listed a litany of complaints against leather shoes.

>

> According to the board, these shoes stink as they are unable to absorb

> sweat, attract fungus, require frequent polishing, gather dust too often,

> that children rub dirty shoes on to their socks, forcing difficult washing

> procedures, that the shoe polish is packed with toxic chemicals, and even

> that tanneries are hubs for dermatitis and other diseases, which affect

> workers.

>

> The CBSE has also pointed out that leather shoes need to be changed when

> students go walking or out to play and overall contribute to a larger

> carbon

> footprint.

>

> The fact that the making of leather shoes involves cruelty against animals

> was also a key point stacked against them.

>

> On the other hand, canvas shoes have been praised for the fact that they

> are

> washable, comfortable, flexible, easy to walk in, absorb sweat better and

> that their polish is eco-friendly.

>

> Views of the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan and Navodaya Vidyalaya Sangathan

> are awaited by the ministry.

>

>

> --

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