Inappropriate Teacher's Dress

Ericka Kammerer wrote:

Welches wrote:

"Ericka Kammerer" wrote in message
...

Barbara Bomberger wrote:

But the OPs objection was to the style, not to the function. And
wearing a shirt short enough to show a belly button does NOT mean that
when you stretch your hands up, you automatically show everything.
Goodness, if it did, I would be in trouble, as I dress on the "liberal
side" I guess. And I'm an old woman.

. For every parent who's cool with midriff
baring tops, low cut pants, and mini skirts, there'll be another
who isn't keen on that role model for her preschool-aged daughter
snip

Actually, it occurs to me to wonder whether those who are
accepting of these clothing choices for a preschool would be
equally accepting of the same clothing on, say, an elementary
school teacher or a high school teacher? And if not, why not?

Well as a HS teacher I typically did not get down on the floor with
the kids.

School systems tended (when I was teaching in the late 70s and early
to mid 80s) to have dress codes for teachers. (Don't know if they do
now or not) Men were to wear a shirt and tie unless they were coaches
or something. No T-shirts.

Women were to wear dresses or a skirt and blouse. We could only wear
trousers if it was a pant suit - individual tops and slacks were not
acceptable. When I was a student teacher, I wore a wool khaki Nehru
top with red trousers from another pant suit and was reprimanded.
Jeans were not to be worn unless we were going on an ecological field
trip of some kind. No shorts were allowed.

Before I started teaching, teachers were not allowed to wear slacks or
trousers at all (refraining from saying pants because of differing
meaning of pants in the UK).

So what is acceptable clothing does change from time to time.





grandma Rosalie

Rosalie B. wrote:

Ericka Kammerer wrote:

Actually, it occurs to me to wonder whether those who are
accepting of these clothing choices for a preschool would be
equally accepting of the same clothing on, say, an elementary
school teacher or a high school teacher? And if not, why not?

Well as a HS teacher I typically did not get down on the floor with
the kids.

Right--obviously that element is not really an issue for
most primary or secondary teachers, except maybe PE teachers ;-)

So what is acceptable clothing does change from time to time.

Absolutely. It is my impression, however, that most
folks would find the clothing described by the OP inappropriate
for a primary or secondary teacher, which seems in contrast
to the opinions about how appropriate it is for a preschool
teacher. Could be wrong about that, but I'm just guessing
most would be less than thrilled to see their sixth grader's
teacher in belly baring tops, low rise pants, or mini skirts,
and I suspect it would be against the professional dress standards
in most schools. Of course the standards change over time,
and I don't have any beef with teachers dressing casually, as
long as the attire is clean and neat and not unacceptably
suggestive/revealing/offensive. Of course, our school dress
code doesn't allow that sort of thing for students, so it
would be a real problem if teachers were dressing that way ;-)
*If* that impression is correct, I would just be
curious as to the reason for the discrepancy. Do we have
higher standards for primary and secondary teachers, and if
so, why? Are they thought to be more professional? Is the
issue of appropriate dress more relevant at different student
ages? Do we just expect more from primary and secondary teachers
than from preschool teachers?

Best wishes,
Ericka

On Mon, 20 Jun 2005 07:36:41 -0400, Ericka Kammerer
wrote:

It's not so much that the child will want to wear the same
clothes right then. It's more that the teacher sets an expectation
for what is appropriate attire in a given set of circumstances.

I'm just not convinced that a 4 or 5 year old is going to be that
influenced by the teacher's clothing as say, a 12 year old!

Children are exposed to a wide variety of influences. I can't do
a lot about most of them, but I can ensure that the modeling they
see at home reinforces what I believe to be appropriate behaviors,
and I would certainly want at least the teachers at school to be
modeling what I would consider appropriate behaviors.
Actually, it occurs to me to wonder whether those who are
accepting of these clothing choices for a preschool would be
equally accepting of the same clothing on, say, an elementary
school teacher or a high school teacher? And if not, why not?

My reasoning above answers this.

Nan

Barbara Bomberger wrote:
On 18 Jun 2005 10:09:19 -0700, "shinypenny"
wrote:



dragonlady wrote:

I wouldn't allow anything but ear piercing. However, both of my
daughters got their toungues pierced as soon as they could approve it
themselves (and, I might add, pay for it.)

For the first couple of days I asked them to not talk to me, because I
was thoroughly grossed out.

However, once the initial swelling goes down, the toungue piercing does
not create problems with enunciation.

(I STILL don't like it, and it DOES cause problems for dental health,
but their speech is not affected.)

(And they've both gotten jobs where they don't have to remove the tongue
studs at work -- though they both have enough brains to have removed
them when they went in for job interviews.)


You know, I consider myself as being fairly open minded about things
like tattoos and body piercings. I even secretly feel that my DD12
would look smashing with a tiny eyebrow stud (she's got beautiful
eyes). I also understand that such fashions can be a cultural and
self-expression thing. And I don't consider myself a prude either.

But the tongue piercing thing bothers me to no end!

If my DD's came home with one, I'd be seriously worried. Because, to my
knowledge, the tongue piercing is not meant for fashion. It's meant as
an aid for performing oral sex. From what I gather, those that wear it
outside the bedroom, are conveying their interest and skill in this
activity.

Huh??????///

Sorry, but your experiences in this area must be much different than
mine. I know lots of kids who have them, just because they like them.
and no, it doesnt mean "hey boys come on" certainly not where i am.

Tongue studs have a strong sexual connotation, whether or not the
wearer intended it to be. Maybe because, like nipple and genital
piercings, they're not generally diplayed, they've never completely
lost that sexual stigma. It's silly to deny this.
If one of my kids wanted one it would probably give me pause, but in
general I don't have a problem with them. Just because someone makes a
provocative statement with piercings, or dress, or whatever, it doesn't
necessarily mean "hey boys [or girls] come on".
Around here it seems to be dying as a trend among teens. Or maybe I
just don't notice it anymore. The last person I know who got one was a
man in his early 30's. A fashion statement, I'm sure.

On 17 Jun 2005 19:43:46 -0700, "Mary"
wrote:

Have any of you faced a teacher, preschool or otherwise that dressed
inappropriately? Recently, I experienced a situation with "teachers"
(they were actually college students doing a summer intern-job) that
wore low ride, cotton, white, mini skirts, with no slips (do people
still wear slips?). One has a tongue stud. Both wore shirts with their
belly buttons exposed.
It is a delicate situation in that I am related to the owner. I did
say something to the owner, but then let the subject die.
I can say that husband is eager to drive my daughters to the school!

In a previous preschool, the teachers had tattoos, but they covered
them up. I have a tattoo as well, but if I was in a professional
situation, I would cover it up.

Mary

You didn't mention how they behave towards the children in their care?
Are they loving, trustworthy? How do they relate to the parents who
bring the children in? Are they respectful, informative? If so, I
don't see how their fashion impacts on child care and safety which is
what you are paying for.

"Ericka Kammerer" wrote in message
...
Welches wrote:
Actually, it occurs to me to wonder whether those who are
accepting of these clothing choices for a preschool would be
equally accepting of the same clothing on, say, an elementary
school teacher or a high school teacher? And if not, why not?

Good point. I expect the lead teacher to dress professionally, and somewhat
formally, modest skirt or pants and tops. No jeans. No shorts. No T-shirts
with writing on them. No spaghetti straps. No gym wear/yoga
pants/leggings. The kids call them by title and last name. Any teaching
assistants can be less formal, as it is expected they will be doing the
floor and messy stuff (help with art, building relief maps, etc.) So here
is where I'd expect to see more T-shirts and stretchy pants or jeans.
Students call them by title and first or last name, depending on the
assistant. Afterschool program teachers I expect to wear clothes suitable
for playing outside, including shorts, jeans and T-shirts. Kids call them by
their first names, or title and first names. If these afterschool teachers
are showing some abs, I don't care. This is a much less formal program.

Now, I'm not sure where these "teachers" the OP was talking about fit in.
Were they the main teachers in a pre-school program? Probably not. And in
my experience, even the head preschool teachers are often not as formal as
the lead 1st grade classroom teacher. Were they more like teaching
assistant? Or were they more like the afterschool program teachers? I'd
say they were suitably dressed for running the afterschool program.

In article ,
Ericka Kammerer wrote:

at and not unacceptably
suggestive/revealing/offensive. Of course, our school dress
code doesn't allow that sort of thing for students, so it
would be a real problem if teachers were dressing that way ;-)
*If* that impression is correct, I would just be
curious as to the reason for the discrepancy. Do we have
higher standards for primary and secondary teachers, and if
so, why? Are they thought to be more professional? Is the
issue of appropriate dress more relevant at different student
ages? Do we just expect more from primary and secondary teachers
than from preschool teachers?

I wouldn't say the standards are higher -- only that the standards are
different.

Yes, I would expect preschool teachers to dress less formally than
teachers in a school age setting. No, I don't think they are less
professional -- however, I DO think they are more likely to encounter
phenominal messes, and to get down on the floor or dirt.

It's just different -- not less professional, though it may be less
formal.

I hope we aren't going to a place where "professionals" are people who
dress up for their job . . .
--
Children won't care how much you know until they know how much you care

On Mon, 20 Jun 2005 07:36:41 -0400, Ericka Kammerer
wrote:

Welches wrote:

"Ericka Kammerer" wrote in message
...

Barbara Bomberger wrote:



But the OPs objection was to the style, not to the function. And
wearing a shirt short enough to show a belly button does NOT mean that
when you stretch your hands up, you automatically show everything.
Goodness, if it did, I would be in trouble, as I dress on the "liberal
side" I guess. And I'm an old woman.

. For every parent who's cool with midriff
baring tops, low cut pants, and mini skirts, there'll be another
who isn't keen on that role model for her preschool-aged daughter

Do pre-school kids really want to wear the same clothes as their teacher?

It's not so much that the child will want to wear the same
clothes right then. It's more that the teacher sets an expectation
for what is appropriate attire in a given set of circumstances.
Children are exposed to a wide variety of influences. I can't do
a lot about most of them, but I can ensure that the modeling they
see at home reinforces what I believe to be appropriate behaviors,
and I would certainly want at least the teachers at school to be
modeling what I would consider appropriate behaviors.
Actually, it occurs to me to wonder whether those who are
accepting of these clothing choices for a preschool would be
equally accepting of the same clothing on, say, an elementary
school teacher or a high school teacher? And if not, why not?

Ive already answered this in that yes, my kids HAVE been exposed to a
variety of clothing, behaviors, beliefs and attitudes. I happen to
think that it's a Good Thing. Actually in the middle and high school
years, I think it would suggest to the students th at dressing or
acting a certain way does not necessarily limit you.

Barb

Best wishes,
Ericka

On Mon, 20 Jun 2005 15:04:44 GMT, "Cathy Kearns"
wrote:


"Ericka Kammerer" wrote in message
...
Welches wrote:
Actually, it occurs to me to wonder whether those who are
accepting of these clothing choices for a preschool would be
equally accepting of the same clothing on, say, an elementary
school teacher or a high school teacher? And if not, why not?

Good point. I expect the lead teacher to dress professionally, and somewhat
formally, modest skirt or pants and tops. No jeans. No shorts. No T-shirts
with writing on them. No spaghetti straps. No gym wear/yoga
pants/leggings. The kids call them by title and last name. Any teaching
assistants can be less formal, as it is expected they will be doing the
floor and messy stuff (help with art, building relief maps, etc.) So here
is where I'd expect to see more T-shirts and stretchy pants or jeans.
Students call them by title and first or last name, depending on the
assistant. Afterschool program teachers I expect to wear clothes suitable
for playing outside, including shorts, jeans and T-shirts. Kids call them by
their first names, or title and first names. If these afterschool teachers
are showing some abs, I don't care. This is a much less formal program.

Nany of my kids grade school and upper level teachers in Arlington and
Alexandria would not have fit the above. They have all had teachers
who wore jeans and cargos on occasion, They have had Tshirts with
writing on them, albeit what I would consider slogans that are
inoffensive or casual. Many of the teachers wear leggings. I work in
an office and I wear leggings a great deal of the time (ankle length,
not short). When my daughter was growing up they did not have air
conditioning in all the schools. teachers did on occasion wear shorts.
As long as they were appropriate to the physique, I have no problem
with t his.

My children have some excellent teachers over the years who have
dressed nothing like your suggestions above. W ehave had no
objections at all.

Barb

Now, I'm not sure where these "teachers" the OP was talking about fit in.
Were they the main teachers in a pre-school program? Probably not. And in
my experience, even the head preschool teachers are often not as formal as
the lead 1st grade classroom teacher. Were they more like teaching
assistant? Or were they more like the afterschool program teachers? I'd
say they were suitably dressed for running the afterschool program.

In article , Barbara Bomberger
says...

On Mon, 20 Jun 2005 07:36:41 -0400, Ericka Kammerer
wrote:

Welches wrote:

"Ericka Kammerer" wrote in message
...

Barbara Bomberger wrote:



But the OPs objection was to the style, not to the function. And
wearing a shirt short enough to show a belly button does NOT mean that
when you stretch your hands up, you automatically show everything.
Goodness, if it did, I would be in trouble, as I dress on the "liberal
side" I guess. And I'm an old woman.

. For every parent who's cool with midriff
baring tops, low cut pants, and mini skirts, there'll be another
who isn't keen on that role model for her preschool-aged daughter

Do pre-school kids really want to wear the same clothes as their teacher?

It's not so much that the child will want to wear the same
clothes right then. It's more that the teacher sets an expectation
for what is appropriate attire in a given set of circumstances.
Children are exposed to a wide variety of influences. I can't do
a lot about most of them, but I can ensure that the modeling they
see at home reinforces what I believe to be appropriate behaviors,
and I would certainly want at least the teachers at school to be
modeling what I would consider appropriate behaviors.
Actually, it occurs to me to wonder whether those who are
accepting of these clothing choices for a preschool would be
equally accepting of the same clothing on, say, an elementary
school teacher or a high school teacher? And if not, why not?

Ive already answered this in that yes, my kids HAVE been exposed to a
variety of clothing, behaviors, beliefs and attitudes. I happen to
think that it's a Good Thing. Actually in the middle and high school
years, I think it would suggest to the students th at dressing or
acting a certain way does not necessarily limit you.

It absolutely limits you. The question being,of course, what one wants. If
you're trying to go through life looking like surfer-dude, that's fine if you
want to work in a surf shop or only other extremelly casual endeavors (not even,
for example, setting up a shop for more upscale boaters), but otherwise, no, it
limits you.

Banty