School Uniforms
My second cousin, who is already well into the new school year at her school in South Carolina, was jubilant in a recent telephone conversation with my mother (she and my mother are first cousins). She related to my mother that her school has adopted a unform - for teachers as well as for students.
As I said, my cousin was jubilant. Not only would she save time in the mornings getting dressed by not having to decide what to wear, but she would also save money on not having to buy clothes for work.
But there is also a third benefit for my cousin: Satisfaction on the basis of principle. Over the course of her nearly 25 years in the classroom, she had grown sick and tired of the way in which many of her colleagues dressed for work. Apparently, they dressed for all things but work. I haven’t had an opportunity to follow up with my cousin on the uniform thing, but, I was curious to know what, exactly, her colleagues actually wore to work. Being a public school teacher, I had imagined that my cousin and her colleagues were held to a specific dress code. Apparently, such was not the case.
As an independent school teacher, I have come to expect the casualness of the teacher wardrobe to be one of the oddities of independent school culture, in the same way that wearing pajama bottoms has become haute couture amongst the students within this venue. In my nearly 14 years in independent schools, I have seen colleagues clad in torn and faded jeans, flannel shirts, Birkenstocks without socks, shorts, hiking gear, flip flops - on a daily basis. Which makes teachers like me really stand out by wearing clothes that most people would consider professional attire for a female teacher: skirts, button-down shirts, dress pants, sweater sets, low-heeled shoes, collared short-sleeved shirts, pantyhose - you get the picture. Ironically, I am the one who experiences an existential meltdown at about this time every year because I am the one who doesn’t want to stand out amongst my colleagues by looking professional!
The fact of the matter is, the administration at schools - public and independent alike - needs to establish and enforce higher wardrobe standards for teachers. I agree that teachers should be comfortable, but they should also be dressed in a manner which respects their station. Torn jeans and Birkenstocks don’t accomplish that. A teacher on a modest budget can look neat and professional, while maintaining a persona which communicates friendly and approachable.
I have mixed feelings re: uniforms, and I am not sure that I would want my school to become a uniform school. At the same time, I am glad to see that the Admin. at my cousin’s school has stepped up and demanded a more professional appearance from its faculty.
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On one end, I like the school uniform policy as far as the professionalism is concerned. On the other end, though, there’s so much pressure put upon a teacher in public school to begin with that a lack of dress code is one of the few freedoms we enjoy. I know on some days, I needed it because mentally, I needed time just to detach the negativity.
I like this post, though. Especially during the first 8 months or so, it’s important to look professional.
Jose - August 22, 2007 at 4:49 pm
What is the uniform for the teachers? Is it professional? I’d be interested to hear the details!
Jackie - August 22, 2007 at 6:27 pm
I don’t know how I feel about the issue. I like that I am able to freely choose my clothes everyday, but I think it would be nice not to worry about what to wear on daily basis. The teachers at my school are pretty casual. I usually wear slacks or khaki’s everyday with some sort of button down shirt. Sometimes, I might wear a beautiful blouse with my slacks. My dress is so monotonous that the kids last year went into shock when I started wearing summer things again in the spring. Like skirts and wedge sandles etc. Its a difficult issue.
Miss A - August 22, 2007 at 6:36 pm
Really?
I *love* my school, but I would quit my job the day they instituted a uniform. We have one “rule” about dress for teachers: decency. We’re progressive like that; no need for policing. It’s up to us to decide what “decent” means, and I’ve NEVER seen anyone wear something I thought wasn’t decent. No ripped jeans, spaghetti straps, etc. We are allowed to wear sleeveless shirts, and jeans, and flip flops. I pretty much abandon closed shoes the minute it’s 60 degrees.
I’ve never seen anyone in shorts, except on field day, which is obviously different. But, other than casualness, they’re not all that different than a skirt, no? Safer, in fact. That said, I’m planning to wear my brown seersucker bermudas on the first day. They’re knee length, and I’ll wear them with heels. Professional enough, if you ask me.
P.S. Aren’t Birks w/o socks so much better than Birks WITH socks? Ewww.
P.P.S. I don’t see anything wrong with flannel shirts. If it’s 1994, I mean.
tamasha - August 22, 2007 at 7:00 pm
Jose: I like casual clothes; don’t get me wrong. I just think that given some latitude, teachers in independent schools anyway take it to the extreme, depending on the school.
Jackie: I am not sure of the exact details. But, I believe that it is khaki pants or skirt for women, and polo shirts. The teacher uniform mimicks that of the students.
Tamasha: In theory, yes. Teachers should be able to determine what it decent. But, it has been my experience that decent represented many different interpretations, depending on the teacher, and the Admin. said nothing to counter it. Re: the Birkenstocks - if you had seen the toes of the man who wore them, you’d wish he’d worn socks, too.
Miss A: I am like you; I am of two minds. I just think that many of my colleagues could make more of an effort, and, in the absence of any Admin. intervention, they aren’t going to make the effort.
missprofe - August 22, 2007 at 8:23 pm
Well, if we’re talking uniforms…
On one hand coming from the Army, uniforms were of course a way of life. It was nice to get up everyday and not have to worry about what to wear. After retiring I realized how few civilian clothes I actually owned (particularly those that were business casual). I’ve had to spent quite a bit of money on those types of clothes. But I believe that teachers should dress professionally. I don’t think a teacher uniform should be established, especially since one of the joys of retiring was not ever having to put on a uniform again (or shave for that matter! Yes, I had the obligatory beard and mustache for about six months after retiring and let my hair grow out a bit. Now, I’m back to clean-shaven and short hair! You can take the soldier out of the Army, but not the Army out of the soldier apparently!).
But I digress. I think there should be a dress code of some short. I don’t think you should be able to confuse a teacher with a student and I don’t think teachers should look like they just got out of bed either. By the same token, I don’t think it’s necessary to have teachers wear suit & tie or something similar.
Otherwise, one day we might see teachers in a thong and a light coat of oil! Blagh! :-))
ET - August 22, 2007 at 9:11 pm
I wouldn’t mind having a uniform. I wore one when I was a flight attendant. Not having to think about what to wear made my life simpler. My only concern would be shoes. They would have to be comfortable. Even the slightest heels, like the ones I wore today, are too painful for me.
Ms. Whasit - August 22, 2007 at 10:32 pm
It is possible to wear adult clothing without looking like a student, or looking like you got out of bed. Wearing clothing I like, clothing that I feel comfortable in, clothing that I think I look nice in, makes each day a little better, and a little more interesting. It’s not the only thing, certainly I’m not that shallow, but it’s part of it.
If I had to wear this: khaki pants or skirt for women, and polo shirts. The teacher uniform mimicks that of the students everyday I would be so unhappy. Talk about not being able to tell the difference between teachers and students.
I would certainly not want to teach in a school that doesn’t trust me and my colleagues to make decisions about decency. Individuals who have issues with “decency” can be dealt with on an individual level.
tamasha - August 22, 2007 at 11:31 pm
Eric: I remember how crisp and neat my dad always looked in his uniform. He worked for the Dept. of Corrections. My dad is also ex-military - a Marine from the Korean War - which I am sure also heavily influenced his neatness and crispness. And, yes, we should be able to tell the difference between students and teachers. In total agreement.
Ms. Whatsit: I have always admired the flight attendant uniform. Again, so crisp and neat.
Tamasha: Between you, me and a goal post, I, too, would be unhappy to have to wear a polo shirt and khakis every day.
missprofe - August 23, 2007 at 4:36 am
Just to clarify: I don’t agree with a uniform that seeks to have teachers wear the same clothes or similar clothes as the students. This indeed would make it very difficult to tell teachers apart from students. Nor would I want to told I can only wear this and/or that specific item.
Part of my original post was, “I don’t think a teacher uniform should be established, especially since one of the joys of retiring was not ever having to put on a uniform again.” But when I start seeing teachers wearing stuff that I wouldn’t let my daughter wear, something is wrong. Teachers (and for that matter, all professionals) should be mature and (oh wait, get this) *pro-fes-sion-al* enough to know what TO wear and what NOT to wear to school.
I do agree that I want to be comfortable with what I’m wearing so that I can relax and get down to the business at hand - teaching. But one can be comfortable and still dress professionally at the same time. To think otherwise, is simply ridiculous.
ET - August 23, 2007 at 9:50 am
I don’t know about “professional,” but I’ll go with “presentable.” A teacher who doesn’t dress to the level of his or her students is gonna have a hard time.
I have to confess that as a teacher of Civics and American History, every time the uniform issue came up, I sided with the students — first amendment and all that. Now I’m not so sure. My jury is still out.
repairman - August 23, 2007 at 10:30 pm
I think I should amend my comment above to say, “A teacher who doesn’t dress above the level of his or her students is gonna have a hard time.”
repairman - August 23, 2007 at 10:32 pm
Interesting post. I agree with repairman’s last post. There should be a very clear difference between the teacher and the students. Besides, as a teacher you offer services to your class. When I go to a bank, a hospital or a store, I also want the people behind the counter to look appropriate and professional. Flipflops and sleeveless shirts are imo not professional, and sometimes not so pleasant to look at.
Although on some days I have worn jeans and a sportsjacket to school, most of the time I wear classical clothes: skirts, bd shirts, and sweaters. I do try to find clothes that I don’t get too hot in while teaching, but I would never wear something sleeveless. My sleeves are always until the elbows or longer.
Frumteacher - August 31, 2007 at 6:17 am
I am a teacher at ParkEast High in Manhattan and I definitely have to say that I’d be som much better without uniforms. Our school does have a dress code like knee-length skirt or spring gowns; however at the prom, we ourselves can wear something of the partying type (i.e. strapless gowns, halters, etc.) I’d really hate it if teachers wore unifroms because I already have my wardrobe full of Armani and D&G and RL and YSL and Gucci and DKNY Jeans and XOXO–the admin has no problem and my students, even fellow colleagues really admire the way i dress and carry myself. BTW, the way you carry yourself while wearing certain clothing is also very important. Later/cu soon
MishiPhD - March 31, 2008 at 5:01 pm
And who decides on the word “appropriate” when it comes to dress?
Steve
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Steve Gary - April 7, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Steve, since many teachers haven’t been able to define appropriate, i.e. taken every liberty with their attire, it would be something that the administration would have to determine. That said, the category “business casual” should be a level of attire with which most teachers can live. It evokes authority and professionalism, as well as approachability.
MishiPhD: I don’t want to see teachers go to a uniform, although I think it is a good idea for students. I actually think the majority of students look pretty raggedy, especially the girls. Somehow expensive shoes and handbags don’t make up for faded jeans and cheap tops.
In as far as the way in which one carries him/herself while wearing certain clothing: A person can act like an a**hole while wearing a $20,000 dress. That said, I don’t want to see administrators running around in jeans and sneakers, no matter how professional they comport themselves.
missprofe - April 7, 2008 at 4:44 pm
missprofe, thank you for correcting the slight error i had there; i actually meant to say that carrying yourself while wearing professional clothing is vital to maintain your image as a pro. Although I am a teacher, I acknowledge, obviously, the fact that no matter what your attire: actions speak louder than words. Its because in my school, we have a very competitive and high clothing standard; even between students and teachers [hah!]. Miss Sage Meyers may don a knee-length $1000 halter [as she supposedly told me, BTW] and tote around a Hermes hobo and Manolos; Mr. Bennett would see her, smile, and compliment her dress before homeroom. Why? Because it met the dress code all the way [i.e.knee-length skirt/dress at least with no V-necks].I growled because I jhappened to be at the scene although personally of course I do not want uniforms. By the way, if students rae reading this, the company of your dress is invisible if whats beneath it is *trash* i.e. no personality
MishiPhD - April 7, 2008 at 8:24 pm