The High Heel Store Advert reads: Do you like a good pair of heels? There is something about walking in heels that makes one feel empowered, tall and able to announce one’s presence in the hall. It certainly does something to the lower leg, causing those around to cast an eye while you stride in with an aristocratic gait.
Interestingly, red heels have a fascinating history. They have been around and originally part of men’s wear for at least 1000 years. In the 17th century it was a sign of great masculinity and social standing if you wore heels.
King Henry XIV’s portrait includes him wearing his red heels. As the “fashion” grew, nobility were seen to increase the height of their heels to distinguish their class. Once woman began wearing heels they were quick, in Massachusetts, to introduce a law that if a woman enticed a man into marriage wearing high heeled shoes, they would be handled in the same way as witches.
Now imagine we opened a “High Heel Store” that made red high heels in size 9 only and created a law that said everyone must wear the red heel shoe for seven hours a day. If they don’t fit you, the High Heel Store will either cut off the toes so that your foot fits, or stuff the front with tissue paper to ensure a decent look.
If balance was your problem, we could send you to the shop next door where they would teach you how to balance on the heels. If you don’t like red shoes – that is just too bad. Balancing on red high heel shoes is the only option.
Education is a little like the “High Heel Store.”
One size must fit all, and if it doesn’t the education professionals will force your foot into it even if it means destroying your love for shoes.
The reality is that we can’t make children walk in our shoes. They might try, but it soon causes them to trip up, fall or move slowly. The fit is just not right.
In a world where we now know that every brain is unique, just like our finger print – how is it possible to expect every child to do the same thing at the same time, in the same order and then create a standardised test to ensure that the quality of shoe walking meets the desired standards required by the national shoe walking department? It is a ridiculous system. There is good news on the horizon.
Change is coming.
