do you think teachers need a dress code?

[LWolf]

14. As with most things, a dress code, if it exists at all,

should be liberal and broad. The more specific, the less appropriate.

I've worked with dress codes and without them.

In the last district I worked in the state to the south, our dress code included the word "professional," which is open to abuse and various interpretations. I chose to interpret "professional" as "appropriate for the activities I'll be doing." Since I regularly supervised recess, taught PE, did art projects, sat on the floor with groups of kids working on projects, and stood on chairs to put things up and take things down from the wall, "professional" meant clothes that were easily washed and dried at home, no $$ dry cleaner or time-consuming ironing, clothes that were not restrictive, allowing me full movement, clothes that fit properly, were in good repair, and modest. Our code specified that collars had to be worn, so I bought a bunch of vests that came with collars and big pockets. Then I could wear any kind of shirt I wanted under the vest. I don't wear ANYTHING to work that doesn't have an abundance of pockets. In that same district, females were "encouraged" to wear dresses and skirts, so I kept a selection of sleeveless jumpers, with big pockets and collars, and I usually wore sneakers and crew socks with the jumpers, so that I could move easily on any terrain during recess and PE. I had a parent who made the jumpers and vests for me in a variety of fabrics.

My current district has no dress code for teachers, and a pretty lax dress code for students. In 7 years, the only thing I've seen a teacher wear that bothered our administrator were the barefoot shoes, which didn't bother me a bit.

Currently, I don't wear dresses or skirts, rarely wear collars, and always wear orthopedic walking shoes and pockets. I have an entire collection of one easily washed short-sleeved cotton shirt with no collar and two breast pockets, in a rainbow of colors. It gets the job done.