The Martlet

On January 14 and 15, a group of about 20 high school students braved the cold and gathered outside uptown and the Legislative Buildings to pose a question to the public: Where do your clothes come from? Passersby were informed about labour practices around the world, and were asked to place pins on a map representing the origin of their clothes.

This public awareness campaign was part of a human geography project in Adrian French’s Socials 11 class at Mount Douglas Secondary School. These students, part of the district’s Challenge program for gifted and talented youth, set about researching working conditions in various apparel-producing countries such as China, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

In a press release created by the students, the exercise was designed to “create awareness of one’s inherent involvement in the global economy by analyzing the clothes we wear and their origins.”

“I didn’t think it would take such a public turn,” says student Julia McAskill. “I assumed . . . not many people would hear about what we are doing. I’m really pleased with how the public awareness component of this project is turning out, because I think more people need to understand what is happening around the world. Only then will global standards begin to change.”

The response from people was positive, for the most part. As the students were out to educate, rather than solicit donations or signatures, some people wondered “what they wanted” other than a minute of their time. According to McAskill, families in particular were very receptive to the information provided by the students, considering it a learning opportunity for younger people.

The public awareness campaign is just one part of a larger project assigned by French, which requires students to find the origin of their clothes and the environmental impact of the materials they were made of.

They were also expected to choose a garment-producing country and do an exposé on labour conditions there, in addition to investigating how major clothing brands treat their workers and allocate funds for advertising, philanthropy and wages.

A recipient of the 2010 Governor General’s Award for Excellence in Teaching Canadian History, French designs his project-based course to make connections between what is taught in the classroom and the experiences of the student. Personal reflections are a key part of every project assigned.

“Students often have a love-hate relationship with the project,” says French. “They appreciate the skills developed, are proud of their finished work yet [they are] unsettled by their findings.”

When the project was first introduced in 2006, it was intended to focus on clothing, but students are able to investigate products that are near and dear to their heart. Instead of digging through her closet, student Celina Chan decided to take a closer look at her tea cupboard. She works at a tea shop, so she’s more knowledgeable about the subject than most, but the project gave her a more complete view of the benefits associated with buying organic and fair trade.

“Not only is it better for the consumers, it’s also better for the workers and the environment. Exposure to pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers will [increase the risk] of poisoning and often when it rains these chemicals get flushed into waterways and land of lower elevations that end up affecting the citizens of towns nearby. As for buying fair trade products, this means that the workers are being paid reasonably and have their basic needs met,” says Chan.

She admits that it was a lot of work, but it was a valuable experience.

“I’ve been able to look at issues from various perspectives and after this course, I can say that I’m a more mature and well-rounded person.”