A vending machine that offers the use of a hair straightening iron at John Abbott College is kicking up a bit of a fuss despite all good intentions.
The CEGEP said it was approached by an entrepreneur who offered a pilot project between the end of September and December, when the school will re-evaluate it. The machine was installed in the girls locker room. You can use the flat iron for 90 seconds for a dollar. It used to be two dollars but the cost was lowered to incite more people to use it.
Critics on social media say the school should not be encouraging the importance of looks and appearance and should be promoting education, not body image.
Spokesperson Debbie Cribb said the deal was made at no cost or risk to the school and was intended to offer a service to the community.
"It was never discussed as an issue, it was really just offering an additional tool in the same way that there's a hair dryer in the locker room, they decided to try this. There was not really any response to it whatsoever until this week. It has not been used more than once since it was installed at the end of September," Cribb told CJAD 800 News in an interview.
Most students who spoke with CJAD were indifferent or said it was not that big of a deal and "to live and let live."
Some did say they wouldn't use it or questioned why it should be used at all.
"I don't think that we really need it because we have to pay for it. It's in the pool locker room and your hair is wet anyway. Just get out of class and go to class or go home. There's no problem if you're just in sweatpants and a sweatshirt - you don't need to put your hair flat for a class of two hours or just going back home, you'll be fine, you'll be pretty anyways," said one student.
Cribb said people outside the John Abbott community use the pool facilities and locker room and can also use the flat iron if they choose. That goes for students too, Cribb said.
"Use it if you want to use it and leave it if you don't."