Shoes have been a status symbol for kids since Spalding and Keds in the fifties. They were expensive too, for their time.
I don't remember them being fought over and killed for though..

This fiasco is created by our advertisers/pushers with jacked up prices and famous sportsmen/women signing on to promote it. It's all about making money. If a few kids get killed in the process, well, thats just, what they call, "An Acceptable Risk"

And the parents go along like the sheep that they have become. It's past time to put our foot down with our Kids..