“Why Don’t the Teachers Wear a Uniform?”
A few weeks ago when lining up after lunch, one of my students asked me this question. My first thought was to respond “well this is our uniform”, which at the time seemed reasonable. However, it probably left the student with more questions, and got me thinking about what it must be like from a student’s perspective, which inspired the following poem and research:
Dear Teacher,
We’re told to be role models for the younger students,
To tuck in our shirts and lead by example,
But when I ask for the same guidance from you,
I’m met with glares and asked to check the school’s preamble.
‘Only natural hair colours, no nail polish, no colour!’
Even our jackets need to blend into the crowd,
‘We already had our years of school uniforms’,
But aren’t we wearing them to show we go here and are proud?
‘One stud in each ear, no necklaces and no bracelets’,
I get that we need to show equality and unity,
And that we can express our personalities in different ways,
But why do you not also show that you are part of the community?
Your hair colours can change, and so can your nails,
I just don’t understand how this is the teacher norm,
If we’re trying to show a united front and wear the school colours,
Why don’t the teachers wear a uniform?
The evidence behind teachers having dress codes/ uniforms:
While there is a lot of pressure on how teachers, plan, teach and deliver their lessons, there is not a lot of discussion or emphasis on how teachers should dress. School policies often have guidelines such as not wearing trainers or jeans, and nothing ‘revealing’, but from there, the possibilities are almost endless. It is suggested that roughly 62% of information is being transmitted through non-verbal communication, hence how you dress is being interpreted constantly, even if this is unconsciously. When we think of other professions it seems more clear-cut how uniforms can impact one’s perception of the individual and how we then respect and interact with them; police officers and doctors for a start. There is also the suggestion that how you dress goes beyond the classroom, but can also impact how parents and other colleagues view you.
Arguments against teachers having dress codes/uniforms:
On the other hand, there are many arguments against having a strict dress code or uniform for teachers. The first being, what would this dress code/uniform look like? If it is the same as the students’, then could the matter of gaining respect perhaps go in the other direction, and instead, there is confusion as to who the teacher is? If it is not the same as the students, then what would be classed as ‘professional’? There are opinions that what may work in one school or one classroom may not be appropriate in others. For example, if one is working with younger students, and is perhaps having to sit on the floor and bend down far more, that perhaps certain clothes may be more suitable than others.
Moreover, while restricting what students are able to wear has arguments for equality and to avoid being picked on for what they choose to wear, the same argument may not be viable for teachers. There is the idea that being an adult, a teacher has a better idea of how they should dress to be perceived in a way that both gains them respect but is also practical. Hence, there are arguments for having guidelines, but to enforce a strict uniform may be unnecessary and more importantly, a waste of precious time if such a decision were to be voted on, implemented and enforced.
If you are interested in looking into student perspectives on this topic, take a look at the following blogs:
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