Thread: Teacher Attire

Look at the dress code thread it is a bit long and starts out with codes for kids but moves to codes for teachers.

This is teaching not the business world. I think teachers should dress nice but there is no way i will wear a tie. It gets in the way. I wear the clothes that will stand up to the way i teach. I do not make enough money to buy new dress pants every couple of months, because I rip them crawling on the floor. My dress shirts get stained when experiments go awry, so I wear the most cost effective button down shirts I can.

I agree things can get pretty sloppy at times but for the most part I think teachers dress pretty well.

I have my days when I know I look more professional than others. However, the few items of clothing that I have that would classify as nice (items costing more than $50) I try to keep nice for meetings, church, etc.

Everytime I wear something nice something happens to it. One time a nice pair of pants was thrown up on by a student. I never wanted to wear them again. I had one student not realize they were holding a black permanent marker as they stood behind me. I ended up with a black line down my back. I had to throw the shirt away.

I have more examples but I'll save them for another time.

For the most part I think faculty members do a good job in wearing appropriate clothing. There are a few, however, that I simply cannot figure out how they get away with it. If I wore some of the things they do I would be sent home.

Okay, lets add this into the mix.

I am at a private school, our dress code allows teachers to wear a schoo polo shirt instead of tie and jacket, if they choose. What do you think of this requirement ? FYI - We give our teachers a supply of polo shirts, school t-shirts, and school jackets each term.

Our students have a strict uniform code so there is no issue there.

Several years ago when my son was in middle school I was appalled at what was being worn. A friend of mine had completed research about uniforms in schools and at the time it was very favorable. As PTA moms (I wasn't in the classroom yet) we presented to the principal and then to the schoolboard. They had been waiting for a parent to come forward and were more than ready to pilot a school in the county. All of the teachers werer for it and even began wearing khaki skirts/pants and school golf shirt in support and to show people what it would look like. At the final meeting 3 parents made a huge ugly fracus about their baby's individuality. Needless to say the school board, not wanting a public controversy caved.

I wouldn't mind as long as the students had to do the same. I grew up wearing a uniform. My daughter wears one now. I loved it and so does she.

As for student uniforms, I would not have it any other way. As for the parents, even in the private school setting we get one or two then scream that we are hindering their child's ability to express themselves, to them I say "Get over it".

The style of dress referred to in the corporate world as "business casual" is adequately proper in my opinion for teachers in K-12 schools or anywhere.

Jackets, ties and dress pants for men are too expensive, too confining, too fragile and too costly to clean. Plus, the style cannot be adapted for comfort in hot weather as well as women's clothing of the same formality can be. Nothing annoys me more than situations in which I'm required to swelter in a suit, while women are allowed a larger choice of lighter clothing that breathes.

Another issue is that public school employees (at least in my area) have a much, much higher incidence of morbid obesity than the general working population (maybe it's due to the stress). People this large cannot generally get good dress clothing that will fit them and be comfortable and cool enough. Demanding unnecessarily formal attire is a hardship on these people as well.

Originally Posted by Dr Dailey

As for student uniforms, I would not have it any other way. As for the parents, even in the private school setting we get one or two then scream that we are hindering their child's ability to express themselves, to them I say "Get over it".

Here is the biggest difference in private and public schools. You can get away with it.

As long the school provides the polos and whatever then not a problem. I was told one year that I would "Have to purchase" a shirt to be worn on Fridays. I didn't.

We have a "smart casual" dress code, but I still wear the clothes I bought when I was doing "real work" (hee hee) so I alsways feel quite over dressed from everyone else. We can wear jeans if we like and the PE department seems to go around in shorts all the time.

I haven't yet plucked up the courage to wear jeans to school (mind you my one and only pair got nicked from the line...) I think I would feel totally under-dressed, and also loose the respect that students have for me (my clothes maketh the person)

The one time I DID decide to wear "play" clotes to school, it was Sports day. I had come back to my class with a student to grab something and the teacher doing duty in the hall tried to kick me out assuming I was a student (OK, so the bright red sparkly wig and facepaint etc didn't help there..)

I don't think that teachers should ahve to wear a uniform, but I think that they should be dressed quite smart, after all, school is our "office" and it impresses on the students the attitude towards attire we would like them to have. Raising the self image of these students is the first step in making them able to accept responsibility for their education blah blah blah

THis is what I posted in the uniforms thread...sorry, to lazy to rethink/retype.

teach at a charter school and we have uniforms and teachers do have a dress code. The only reason I mention that we are a charter school is b/c the county in which I teach has a pretend dress code for students (that no school enforces) and no dress code for teachers. Our students look sharp every day they are at school--khaki pants/shorts for boys and girls and the girls have an option to wear a skirt. All of our kids wear a polo shirt with our school insignia on it.

As for teachers, all male teachers must wear a shirt and tie or an "official" oxford that has our school insignia (sans tie). We also wear dress slacks or docker type pants. Woman must dress "professionally."

When I go to other schools, I have to admit, many of the teachers and students look really sloppy! I like what our school does. I think we go a little to far in our kids dress codes (writing kids up if they do not have belt on...stuff like that), but given the option--and I have talked to the kids about this--they prefer to have a uniform policy b/c they do not have to worry about what they are wearing to school.