Teacher dress codes

  • Thread starter Thread starter awfulthings9
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
A

awfulthings9

Guest
Hey all,

As I’ve mentioned in a previous thread, I have been offered (and accepted) a job as principal of a Catholic school in our diocese. One of the things I’m debating is how strict the teacher dress code should be. My impression is that most of the staff dresses professionally, but I’ve been told there are some who “could step it up a notch or two”.

So, from those of you who are educators (and those who aren’t, for that matter), here are my thoughts. I would appreciate your feedback.

First off, I believe that teachers are professionals and should be treated that way, but this means we should be dressing that way, as well. That said, our job is a bit different than others in the sense that we often find ourselves standing most of the day, kneeling next to a child who needs help, and working on messy projects.

For that reason, I thought that I would set the dress code based on what is prohibited, rather than mandating a certain attire. Or am I wrong? Should men, for instance, be expected to wear a dress shirt and tie? What would be the female equivalent?

Another thought I had was to address the prohibitions, as explained above, but specify a more formal attire for school mass days (to encourage respect for the Eucharist among the students, who would notice the teachers “stepping it up” on church days) or for other special days.

Again, what would such a code look like, in your opinion? And what specific prohibitions should one be sure to include?

Any other thoughts?
 
As a teacher I get a little worried when principals just start dictating things to us left and right. I do believe teachers should dress professionally. However, what professional dress is will vary according to the position. P.E. teachers should dress differently then say social studies teachers. An art teacher will look different than the math teacher, secondary teachers can dress up a little more than elementary teachers usually.

I think the best thing you can do is hold a meeting with your teachers and staff. Solicit their responses and imputs to your questions. If you have teacher buy in it will be easier than if you just come down on high with rules and prohibitions.

I’m all for have some type of dress code but you really need to empower your teachers on this one or your going to have a lot of resentment before the school year even starts.

Just my advice as a teacher. If you really need something to prohbit so you can start your list I’d say denim jeans unless you have a Friday dress down day, skirts to the knees, and like spaghetti strap tanks for women.

Historybrat
 
No flip flops please.

No cleavage showing.

No short anything.
 
Start by observing. You may find there is no problem at all. You may find individual teachers need coaching-- start by addressing it as a coaching issue with those teachers. If their appearance improves, then you have solved your problem.

If the school currently has no student or teacher handbook, then create a team that includes you and some teachers to create these documents. Discuss it with other principals in your diocese to see what they do.

If you want specific dress at Mass then discuss it with the teachers during inservice, using it as a way to brainstorm ways to make Mass special and set an example. Ask what’s been done in the past, and give your opinion on why there should be an “step up” when attending Mass.

A collaborative management style is a very effective style.

If you haven’t had much real-world management and human resources experience-- I suggest you go to a class. American Management Association has very good courses. They are not cheap-- but you get what you pay for. Ask your priest or board or whoever you report to for the funds to attend such a developmental course.
 
The school where I interviewed does mention teacher dress code in the handbook!

In general, professional dress, but there are specifics. The women have to wear panty hose and low heeled, closed toe shoes. Pants can not be tight and skirts have to be to the knee or lower. Men wear a tie, though I think a jacket is optional.

I can’t stand panty hose, but I can see the reason for the rule. Personally I dislike the look of a nice dress and heels - with bare legs. I just don’t like how it looks. —KCT
 
:coffeeread:Also, observe what faculty/staff are wearing now. Note if there are questionable choices and what they are. It’s spring heading into summer so clothing is typically going to cover less (at least in the northern hemisphere) so this is a good time to document that.

As far as what they wear: for men collar shirts (could be polo shirts or oxfords), no jeans; for women, um…same? And no cleavage. The woman’s dress code I imagine will be so much trickier. We have many more choices and more chance to be inappropriate.

What is the student dress code? I would expect that the faculty dress code would be the same only more professional. They are modeling for the students appropriate choices and that would include attire.

:twocents:
 
awfulthings9 said:
Hey all,

As I’ve mentioned in a previous thread, I have been offered (and accepted) a job as principal of a Catholic school in our diocese. One of the things I’m debating is how strict the teacher dress code should be. My impression is that most of the staff dresses professionally, but I’ve been told there are some who “could step it up a notch or two”.

(…)

Any other thoughts?
Click to expand...
And these can be nominated for “What Not to Wear”.
😃
 
I’m not a teacher but in my professional experience, when there has been a dress code/professional dress issue, I have seen companies offer sort of a positive incentive to get new clothes.

What they did was to contact some retail shops that sell business professional clothing and ask for some sort of a strategic alliance/professional discount. Jos A. Banks (the men’s clothing store) has a corporate membership that my husband’s firms have always belonged to. I have also seen stores like Steinmart offer similar programs and in one case they had a fashion show for the company featuring cute work attire and gave out all sorts of discount cards and gift cards at the end. They get to market their products and the employees get a discount and some clothing ideas. The diocese may already have some sort of program in place. Teachers don’t make a lot of money, so discounts and the like really seem to appeal to them (well, they do to my sister, who is a teacher 😉 )
 
When I was doing a couple of classes for a language school here, they required dress code, but didn’t specify it very precisely. As a rule, in my case it was understood as a suit and tie, although it’s not like let’s say you couldn’t have grey trousers and a navy jacket (I have a “suit” like that). Perhaps a guy could have got away without a tie, but not with smart casual style. The ladies could get away with smart casual, judging by what I saw. I suppose they would tolerate a guy just wearing a jacket with a turtleneck and jeans even, if they had to, but they had a more dressy preference.

Some experience from my younger brother’s middle school is that there shouldn’t be a different standard for little girls and big girls (teachers). Just that the teacher is ripe 25 and not 12 doesn’t mean she has some err… bragging rights, so to say. 😉

I think whichever standards bind students, should bind teachers as well. Unless your students have uniforms, then obviously not. Same skirt length, cleavage size, upscaleness etc, or stricter.

What upset me or at least puzzled me when I was a schoolboy was transparent blouses and hooker boots on teachers. That shouldn’t be done. They don’t need to wear 19th century garments, but young boys need to shown what a lady looks like. Hourglass is great, as is nice hair and tasteful make-up, but “sexy” is out of place. Since teachers lean quite a lot, they obviously don’t need a cleavage. Since young boys are creative and can be mean if they try, basically, nothing which could be dangerous from the right (or rather wrong) angle - as much for the teacher herself as the boys. If not more.

As for male teachers, neat and clean would be the top priority, I suppose. What kind of clothes depends on your school’s profile. Maybe you want suit and tie, maybe you want something a bit more relaxed, like no tie goes or a turtleneck under the suit, or something. Or maybe smart casual. I don’t think you need to “legislate” it strictly. For that matter, I don’t think you need to “legislate” that much for female teachers, either. Maybe just neat, clean, modest and dressy and deal with concrete cases if people insist on being improper. In fact, I think the job is stressful already, so if someone feels comfy wearing his favourite sweater instead of a suit jacket, then all the better for him. Similarly if one of the ladies is a bit on the flashy edge but not too much, it might be better to leave it alone. Besides, if you start spelling out rules like, “cleavage length X,” “no transparency,” etc, they might feel demeaned. After all, they don’t come to work to be sexy and if they found employment in a Catholic school, they’re probably pretty conservative and responsible people, so no need to treat them like teenagers. In fact, it might be a good idea to stick with the general ideas for the written policy and have the more detailed rules in your head and only discreetly approach people if necessary. In such cases, a gentle suggestion will also probably work better than an order. 😉 If you face dissention, you can always update the policy effective immediately with as much casuistry as you need. 😉
 
chevalier said:
hooker boots on teachers.
Click to expand...
Were they wearing mini skirts wiht the boots. (which doesn’t mean “hooker” but not for school either) But a pair of knee boots and a nice pencil skirt or long flowing skirt looks quite tasteful.

I do admit that there should be guidelines. I worked as a sub and saw a lot of “don’ts” . There wasn’t so much sexy. It was more like they looked like they rolled out of bed. Teachers, regardless of school type, should look like professionals. If you can go straight from the classroom to the dancefloor, probably not the best choice.
 
You mentioned that as teachers you spend a lot of time on your feet. This is a little off of your question, but not too much.

I recommend good, quality shoes. You can probably go to a quality shoe store and open an account for your teachers. You can negotiate a discount based on an estimated number of pairs you think will be purchases. You can try to set it up so the school or district will pay all or part of the cost, or it can just be a cash account, allowing the teachers to get the discount and pay the balance at the time of purchase. Red Wing Shoes offers programs like this and their casual line would be appropriate and is VERY comfortable.

Just a suggestion.
 
chevalier said:
I think whichever standards bind students, should bind teachers as well.
Click to expand...
YES, exactly. My daughter attends a charter school here in Arizona, and the dress code explicitly states that teachers and parent volunteers, whether on campus or on field trips, are expected to meet the same dress code standards as students. I think the “this is prohibited” style of dress code is probably the best way to go, because it allows for the most freedom. As long as they are not doing something expressly forbidden, then they are OK. Anything questionable can be dealt with on a case-by-case basis, and if needed, can be added to the dress code later.

If some of your teachers don’t like it, there are plenty of places with teacher shortages they can go work. Personally, I like my kids’ school to have standards and set a good example. I highly doubt you are going to lose any really quality teachers over a dress code. And any who would quit over it…well, that would seem to indicate a lack of depth and I would bid them a fond farewell!

Starting places…skirts (and shorts if allowed for hot weather) no shorter than X inches above the knee (this is a Catholic school right? get out the ruler 😛 ), absolutely NO visible undergarments, including bra straps, nothing see-through, no visible cleavage, pants that sit no lower than top of hips.

And for anyone who questions the value of a teacher dress code…well just look at the recent boom in cases of female teachers busted for having sex with students. I bet they were dressing sexy to seduce those students. Not saying a dress code can stop that kind of behavior, but at least it could make it harder for the predators to turn on their targets!
 
actorgirl said:
Were they wearing mini skirts wiht the boots. (which doesn’t mean “hooker” but not for school either) But a pair of knee boots and a nice pencil skirt or long flowing skirt looks quite tasteful.
Click to expand...
I have to admit that the boots looked quite horny and while we weren’t really attracted to it, or at least I wasn’t, the boots would attract some nasty name calling of the kind you can imagine. I don’t even remember how they actually looked, it was many years ago, but I remember it looked like a sexual statement or something. I’m not actually a hater of long boots, so it must have been something special.
There wasn’t so much sexy. It was more like they looked like they rolled out of bed. Teachers, regardless of school type, should look like professionals. If you can go straight from the classroom to the dancefloor, probably not the best choice.
Click to expand...
Probably a common thing in the whole of the modern culture. People just tend to look that way more and more. Clothes which look like lingerie or pyjamas, underwear sticking out, clingy stocking-like designs. I think it’s somehow too private to wear in public.
 
Dictating dress code from the start might ruffle some feathers (if its not been done in the past) and put you off to a bad start with your staff. Involving them somehow in the decision can serve to avert ill feelings. Asking teachers to submit suggestions whiich may be anonymous might be a start, because asking them in an open meeting may not get you the genuine response - they will be on guard with you because you are a new boss they are unfamiliar with. This way you will know where they are coming from and it will help you address the issue with the necessary tact.

Another idea is a committee of interested volunteers to make a reccommendation to you. Or, you could serve on the committee.

Finally, once you settle on the code, it might be good to let teachers know that it won’t be in effect until next September, giving them time to shop if they need to. (Meanwhile if you have any serious offenders of dress professionalism, you can speak to them privately).
 
KCT said:
The school where I interviewed does mention teacher dress code in the handbook!

In general, professional dress, but there are specifics. The women have to wear panty hose and low heeled, closed toe shoes. Pants can not be tight and skirts have to be to the knee or lower. Men wear a tie, though I think a jacket is optional.

I can’t stand panty hose, but I can see the reason for the rule. Personally I dislike the look of a nice dress and heels - with bare legs. I just don’t like how it looks. —KCT
Click to expand...
We have a handbook, too. You might want to get a copy of that handbook and see what it says, along with making observations. Don’t listen to what other people tell you, and go in gangbusters. Some people’s opinions can be wrong. And remember, some people cannot afford the best, esp. on a Catholic teacher’s salary.

We cannot wear bare feet with sandals, ladies or gentlemen, no matter how fastidious the pedicure. The gentlemen do not have to wear a tie, but are expected to wear a shirt with a collar. Ladies are allowed to wear pants, but not sweats, excepting gym coaches. Nobody is allowed to wear jeans except on outdoor field trips, excepting moi, the technical person. I am allowed to bring jeans if I am going to be doing dirty work or am on my own time, but I am expected to switch back to regular clothes for class. We cannot wear shorts, skirts that are too short, or capri pants.
 
I think keep it simple - having the same or similar dress code for teachers and students is a good start. Wouldn’t work here in Australia, where school students wear uniforms 😃

But I don’t like the idea of singling individual teachers out to tell them that they have a problem - at least not until you’ve made the general guidelines clear.

I began school in the late 70s - there were certainly plenty of knee-length boots around on the female teachers, but there’s no problem with that when paired with a knee-length or longer skirt.
 
KCT said:
The women have to wear panty hose and low heeled, closed toe shoes. —KCT
Click to expand...
Ugh. I would hate that. I work at a high school and wear skirts, no hose, and sandals everyday.

I think you would have to give some thoughts to the climate and culture of the area that you live in. In southern California, it’s pretty rare to see women in panty hose and low heeled closed toe shoes. It’s either bare legs or hose and high heels.

I do think dressing professionally is important for teachers though. I think it tells your students you take you job seriously. I remember in high school the teachers who showed up like slobs and whose class rooms were a mess. The kids walked all over them.
 
I agree with many of the teachers here. While I am a techie (I teach computers and math and run the lab), I am at a different kind of school. It’s an alternative school for students with behavior disorders. The dress code is functional, especially for our paraprofessionals who may have to do things which would damage dressier clothes.

In my other schools, the only dress code was not written, but spoken by the administration. --No skin between neck and knees, no “tramp stamps” or any other visible tattoos.

My wife’s advisor in her doctoral program at SLU gave her some advice. He told her a proverb in Italian, which translated meant “The first year, look out the window.” Sounds good to me.

Good luck on your new leadership role.

John
 
John_Higgins said:
I agree with many of the teachers here. While I am a techie (I teach computers and math and run the lab), I am at a different kind of school. It’s an alternative school for students with behavior disorders. The dress code is functional, especially for our paraprofessionals who may have to do things which would damage dressier clothes.

In my other schools, the only dress code was not written, but spoken by the administration. --No skin between neck and knees, no “tramp stamps” or any other visible tattoos.

My wife’s advisor in her doctoral program at SLU gave her some advice. He told her a proverb in Italian, which translated meant “The first year, look out the window.” Sounds good to me.

Good luck on your new leadership role.

John
Click to expand...
Funny, I’m a paraprofessional at an alternative school. I don’t have to worry about damaging my clothes though. 🙂
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top