Teachers with tatoos and piercings

[Anonymous]

Perhaps you should home school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - I don't see her everyday so I don't know if she shows off her tatoos at school. I do know one of them might be kind of hard to hide. I also know that she wears that nose piercing everyday.

I think that talking to my kid about my views on the inappropriateness of his teacher is not a good idea. I think that it is important to his success that I appear to be supportive of her. Regardless of my views, DC needs to respect her.

I don't insist that people conform to my values. I'm not going to insist anything in this case. I just think it is poor judgment on her part and on the school.

She is not some random person that DC sees out and about. She is his teacher. Someone there to teach him academics and how to behave in the world. She is one of his primary role models. I just wonder if we should expect more since she has been given this role.

Exactly. She is there to teach him academics and how to behave in the world. What do her tattoos and piercing have to do with either?

Well, tattoos and piercings are anti-social and professional, so setting aside the distraction part of it, it also conveys a message that they're somewhat acceptable in polite society when, in fact, they will directly interfere with career advancement later in life if the child emulates the teacher. So, I do understand OP's issues.

You simply don't see tatoos in the board room.

I was in a very high-level meeting a couple of weeks ago and one woman was sporting a killer neck tattoo. Is it my taste? No, but she's a highly intelligent and successful professional. Why do people focus so much on superficial things?

[Anonymous]

Tattoos and piercing are anti-social? How, exactly, do tattoos and piercings harm society?

Not to mention that they evidently are acceptable in polite society (see, for example, the Post's article yesterday on older people getting tattoos) and do not always directly interfere with career advancement (see, for example, the teacher).

And if you don't see tattoos in the board room, it's presumably because you don't see much exposed skin in the board room, period. (I'm assuming. I don't think I've ever actually been in a board room. Even though I have no tattoos.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - I think that talking to my kid about my views on the inappropriateness of his teacher is not a good idea. I think that it is important to his success that I appear to be supportive of her. Regardless of my views, DC needs to respect her.
.

Exactly. She is there to teach him academics and how to behave in the world. What do her tattoos and piercing have to do with either?

No, but you can talk to your child about what is accaeptable and unacceptable for you and your family.

[Anonymous]

See, most of us don't see tattoos and piercings as anti-social. They are about as pro-or anti-social as one's choice of shoes or jewelry. Yes, if they are profane they are inappropriate, just as a profane t-shirt would be. Other wise, body art is in the same category as hair color. The problem isn't that you are uncomfortable with the teacher "modeling" the acceptability of tats to your kid, the problem is that you believe tattooing and piercing shows lack of judgement. It doesn't. You just think it does.

[Anonymous]

There are a few things that I am not fond of about my child's teacher but hey, that is my problem.

I can tell you one thing, he is a hell of a great teacher. That is what I focus on.

[Anonymous]

My DS' school principal has a pierced ear. He's a young guy, I think he's in his 30s. Yet, I don't think it diminished his ability to be a good principal.

[Anonymous]

There is a business in Ballston dedicated to removing tatoos. I wonder if the woman with the "killer neck tatoo" would do if she had the opportunity to do a "re do". Kids sometimes make decisions without thinking through impacts or potential consequences. Tatoos and nose piercings are appropriate in certain instances, including (apparently), teaching at public schools. They are not appropriate in other settings. So in making the permanent choice in getting a visible tatoo, a person is also making the choice not to be accepted in certain settings or have to go and get the thing removed which probably leaves a scar. Her tatoo is tasteful. Many of them aren't.

[Anonymous]

You simply don't see tatoos in the board room.

Yeah, you also don't see jeans in the board room, but plenty of teachers show up to work in jeans. Unless you are Mark Zuckerberg...then you can show up in a hoodie and jeans, because he's just that good.

Frankly, I wouldn't make a big deal out of it. But if your kid asks, you can use it as a teaching moment to show that people have different appearances but you cannot stereotype based on looks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you know that she was "showing off" and "flaunting" her tattoos and piercings? As opposed to going about her daily business, fully-clothed, with tattoos and piercings?

If you disapprove of tattoos and piercings, and you don't want your kid to get them, then here is a strategy that might be successful: talking to your kid about your opinions about tattoos and piercings.

And here is a strategy that won't be successful: insisting that other people must conform to your opinions because your kid might see them.

+1

[phone]
Of all the problems there are in the world, today was the day you decided to make one up.
I assess the character and academic prowess my kids' teachers display -- not their body art.
I don't care for tattoos, and I figure that people who do have a different asthetic than I do, not different VALUES.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - I don't see her everyday so I don't know if she shows off her tatoos at school. I do know one of them might be kind of hard to hide. I also know that she wears that nose piercing everyday.

I think that talking to my kid about my views on the inappropriateness of his teacher is not a good idea. I think that it is important to his success that I appear to be supportive of her. Regardless of my views, DC needs to respect her.

I don't insist that people conform to my values. I'm not going to insist anything in this case. I just think it is poor judgment on her part and on the school.

She is not some random person that DC sees out and about. She is his teacher. Someone there to teach him academics and how to behave in the world. She is one of his primary role models. I just wonder if we should expect more since she has been given this role.

Not everything she's done in her life has to be setting an example for your child. There's a girl who's been in DD's class each year since first grade who is Indian and has a nose ring. We've had lots of great talks about culture over the years. I was more offended by DD's 2nd grade teacher who treated all boys better than girls and kept touching my DD after she specifically asked not to be touched than by DD's 4th grade teacher who has a full sleeve.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - I don't see her everyday so I don't know if she shows off her tatoos at school. I do know one of them might be kind of hard to hide. I also know that she wears that nose piercing everyday.

I think that talking to my kid about my views on the inappropriateness of his teacher is not a good idea. I think that it is important to his success that I appear to be supportive of her. Regardless of my views, DC needs to respect her.

I don't insist that people conform to my values. I'm not going to insist anything in this case. I just think it is poor judgment on her part and on the school.

She is not some random person that DC sees out and about. She is his teacher. Someone there to teach him academics and how to behave in the world. She is one of his primary role models. I just wonder if we should expect more since she has been given this role.

Exactly. She is there to teach him academics and how to behave in the world. What do her tattoos and piercing have to do with either?

Well, tattoos and piercings are anti-social and professional, so setting aside the distraction part of it, it also conveys a message that they're somewhat acceptable in polite society when, in fact, they will directly interfere with career advancement later in life if the child emulates the teacher. So, I do understand OP's issues.

You simply don't see tatoos in the board room.

Perhaps. But boardrooms are populated by 60-something white men who were born in the 50s. Boardrooms in 2050, for example, likely will have a much different feel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - I don't see her everyday so I don't know if she shows off her tatoos at school. I do know one of them might be kind of hard to hide. I also know that she wears that nose piercing everyday.

I think that talking to my kid about my views on the inappropriateness of his teacher is not a good idea. I think that it is important to his success that I appear to be supportive of her. Regardless of my views, DC needs to respect her.

I don't insist that people conform to my values. I'm not going to insist anything in this case. I just think it is poor judgment on her part and on the school.

She is not some random person that DC sees out and about. She is his teacher. Someone there to teach him academics and how to behave in the world. She is one of his primary role models. I just wonder if we should expect more since she has been given this role.

Exactly. She is there to teach him academics and how to behave in the world. What do her tattoos and piercing have to do with either?

Well, tattoos and piercings are anti-social and professional, so setting aside the distraction part of it, it also conveys a message that they're somewhat acceptable in polite society when, in fact, they will directly interfere with career advancement later in life if the child emulates the teacher. So, I do understand OP's issues.

You simply don't see tatoos in the board room.

Perhaps. But boardrooms are populated by 60-something white men who were born in the 50s. Boardrooms in 2050, for example, likely will have a much different feel.

amen

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - I don't see her everyday so I don't know if she shows off her tatoos at school. I do know one of them might be kind of hard to hide. I also know that she wears that nose piercing everyday.

I think that talking to my kid about my views on the inappropriateness of his teacher is not a good idea. I think that it is important to his success that I appear to be supportive of her. Regardless of my views, DC needs to respect her.

I don't insist that people conform to my values. I'm not going to insist anything in this case. I just think it is poor judgment on her part and on the school.

She is not some random person that DC sees out and about. She is his teacher. Someone there to teach him academics and how to behave in the world. She is one of his primary role models. I just wonder if we should expect more since she has been given this role.

Exactly. She is there to teach him academics and how to behave in the world. What do her tattoos and piercing have to do with either?

Well, tattoos and piercings are anti-social and professional, so setting aside the distraction part of it, it also conveys a message that they're somewhat acceptable in polite society when, in fact, they will directly interfere with career advancement later in life if the child emulates the teacher. So, I do understand OP's issues.

You simply don't see tatoos in the board room.

Perhaps. But boardrooms are populated by 60-something white men who were born in the 50s. Boardrooms in 2050, for example, likely will have a much different feel.

amen

So this is exactly what I'm talking about. Tatoos and piercings are becoming accepted as mainstream. I don't know about you, but I worked pretty hard as a kid to do things to separate myself from the uncool adults with those being my parents and teachers in particular. Thankfully none of them had tatoos or piercings. If they had, I would have done that and more. Maybe I was a bad egg or maybe kids have changed and those "teachable" moments you all keep talking about has the desired impact and doesn't make kids go out and do exactly what their parents warned them not to do (which is what I did). Have you seen how kids are defacing themselves these days? If the bar keeps getting moved all the time, what are the kids' options for taking it to the next level? Knowing this tendency in kids to take things to the extreme, shouldn't we expect our teachers to be models of conservatism in dress and appearance at least on the job?

All this said, I know she is a great teacher and I've never heard anything but good things said about her. I'm sure my kid will leave her class at the end of the year a much better person for having had her. And hopefully for my sake DC turns out to be a better kid than I was.

[Anonymous]

Actually, my father had a small tattoo on his hand (from his youthful days...) and he spent many days in a Board room for his whole career as a very successful VP of a large corporation SO....I guess you can see some tattoos in the Board room.

OP - would you have a problem with some other aspect of your teacher's appearance? If she were morbidly obese - arguably socially unacceptable by your definitions - would you have a problem with her? How about extremely religious - a head scarf, long skirt and other coverings to indicate an orthodox view of religion - would you be concerned about your child seeing this on his teacher? A teacher's appearance is no more your business than your own appearance is his/her business. Don't allow your own prejudices (and that's what they are, OP) to interfere with what could turn out to be your child's best teacher. My son had a 2nd grade teacher who had a tattoo on her back and had a very bohemian style. She did not "flaunt" the tattoo at all, but the kids knew it was there. She was hands-down the best teacher he has had so far. If the topic of the best teacher comes up he (and the other kids in his grade) always mentions her. She had a way of encouraging the kids and making learning fun.

Also, think about it - wouldn't you rather have a teacher with a tattoo and nose piercing who was incredible over a teacher who dressed perfectly but was burned out and lacking in the skills department.