Every month, NewsHour Extra partners with KQED Edspace in San Francisco to produce Do Now, a classroom activity that promotes social media discussion of current events. This month, Do Now wants to know if you would pay more for clothes if you knew that they were manufactured ethically, i.e. in factories with fair working conditions and wages? Click to go to KQED Do Now main site

 

Story: Popular Clothing Brands React to Bangladesh Tragedy Almost a month ago a large complex containing several garment factories that produced clothing for American brands collapsed in Bangladesh. The death toll from the incident is now more than 1,100, with crews still looking for more bodies in the rubble. The above video was reported only days after the incident, when the death toll was at 300. A local television station released video of police inspecting the site a day before the deadly collapse. Large cracks were visible, but factories continued operating. Thousands of garment workers protested poor conditions and called for the building’s owners to be punished. Some demonstrators clashed with police, but the rallies were mostly peaceful. This new disaster came just five months after a garment factory fire in Bangladesh killed 112 workers. To join the Do Now discussion, tweet @KQEDEdSpace and use the hashtag #DoNowFashion, or post a reply to the KQED Ed Space site.