AIBU to think its descrimination??

[charllie]

I work with children, in a school run by the council. I have worked with children for 14 years and i'm qualified in what i do. I love what i do and i'm good at what i do too. What pisses me off is........the dress code! You're not allowed to wear something that would show cleavage - understandable, something too short - understandable, blue denim - apparently its not 'smart' and no vest tops. Other than that, people can wear what they want, apart from me! You see, i have tattoos and i'm not allowed to show them! I have to keep them covered up. Does having my tattoos on show suddenly mean i'm shit at my job, that i'm a bad person, what does it matter if i have tattoos. They're not offensive. I could understand if they were, but they're not. So in this weather, when its really hot, i'm having to wear cardigans or long sleeved tops so that i keep them covered, i'm having to wear trousers instead of a skirt or shorts. This really pisses me off. Surely its ok, even good, for children to see all types of people around them in a setting, because thats what they're going to see out in the streets, around the shops etc.

sadly it is normal, ds had this a lot when job hunting, imo it is daft. but not discrimination as you chose to have them doen(I have one)

Why did you take the job if those are the rules?

The teachers in my kid's schools don't have to cover their tattoos.

YANBU. I've never understood the idea that people suddenly become less competent at their jobs according to what they wear/look like.

That is just weird - yes if it had offensive words (swearing, racist comments) but other than that just and I personally am not keen on tatts!

I think it's bizarre. DH is covered from hip to toes in tattoos and I have a couple myself. DS takes no notice of them and I don't think our having body art has adversely affected him in any way

You're not alone, though. DH has a relatively senior position at work where he's either sat in his office or in the middle of nowhere in his van, so never comes into contact with the public. But he still had to take a couple of piercings out and shave his moey off to do it (this was some years ago when we were young and cool! ).

Yes, I think it's discriminative. I don't think you're being unreasonable but I'm not sure how many people on here will agree with us.

Did you have your tattoos on show during your interview, or have you had them done since you have been emoter.

If there's a dress code, then surely the bosses are within their rights to enforce this?

*employed

It may be discrimination, but it is not illegal discrimination (otherwise there could be no dress codes).

If you feel underappreciated by your employer, perhaps you could start looking to move elsewhere.

just a question - if you'd known that your job which you clearly love would be made more difficult by your decision to have tattoos done, would you still have had them done?

have you asked the school/local authority for a copy of their uniform policy? what does that say?

If your tattoos were expressions of your religion/culture (eg henna tattoos) I suspect they'd allow you to have them visible. You could probably argue that your tattoos are a reflection of your culture.....

I don't particularly like the argument that so long as it's a stated part of the dress code that tattoos shouldn't be visible, the OP isn't in a position to challenge this. My grandmother was once refused entry to a cafe in the US because it was 'Whites Only'. They pointed to a sign on the window which stated this then slammed the door on her. Did the fact it was written down make it any less discriminatory or unpleasant?

WorraLiberty i took the job because i was unhappy where i was, plus this one is term time only, which means i get the holidays off with my DD.
ReindeerBollocks i didn't have them on show when i had my interview. The reason being because i went to an interview a few weeks prior to this one, with my tattoos on show and all the way through the interview, all the woman done was look from one tattoo to another. My tattoos shouldn't prevent me from getting a job, shouldn't make people think twice about employing me. So keeping them hidden sadly was the only way to get through the interview.
Wish more people thought that way RandomMess and AllKnickersAndNoFurCoat

I have tattoos and work in a school but I keep mine covered up. Loose linen trousers and cotton shirts cover mine in hot weather (and also my elephantine thighs and bingo wings).

I have no idea what the policy is on them though.

No I didn't ask why you took the job

I asked why you took it if those are the rules?

Isnt it illegal to discriminate on the grounds of race, but not on the presence of tattoos?

The dress code doesn't say anything about tattoos, i was told by one of the school governors and headmistress that they aren't to be shown. Which is even more annoying!
#maxpower* easy question to answer, yes! I'd have every single one done again, its who i am, wouldn't change that for anyone, let alone a job. And of course i'd be able to show them in those circumstances! Grrr makes me cross lol

WorraLiberty same reason applies!

Are you sure that you would be able to show your tattoos as an expression of culture? Why? It doesnt apply to other things eg wearing a crucifix.

Tis so.

I'm not saying I think it should be illegal (my example was extreme but couldn't think of anything else similar!). But I do think it's just... Well... mean.

Unless you've got something truly dreadful like a scary baby portrait the size of a basketball all over your torso, or anything like these

Tattoos are a choice. You chose to have them and you also chose to take a job that requires you to cover them up. Suck it up or quit the job.

light kaftan tops and loose trousers - perfect for this sort of weather and should keep your tats covered.

It's not discrtimination because having tattoos is a choice and not a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010.

Tattoos are personal to the individual, some find them unpleasant, some tattoos contain offensive messages. If the school allowed some tattoos but only the ones that aren't offensive it would then have to write a specific list of what is and isn't acceptable.

I have tattoos. They are in easy to hide places because i knew that one day i hoped to have a professional job and that tattoos are not universally accepted as part of a professional image.

Sad but true so YABU

Ignore 'tis so', I am a slow and confused typist.

One of the people at DDs preschool has tattoos which are uncovered when they wear short sleeves. I don't understand why tattoos would be a problem in this context?

Also have worked for a few quite traditionalcompanies and while for an interview you go formal, or meeting clients, the odd "non standard" adornment doesn't raise an eyebrow.

Assuming tattoos are not sweary/sexual etc obv.

Well you don't have to accept them 'telling you'

Ask for a copy of the policy that states they must be covered up.

I don't know where I stand with this really. I know kids see people with tattoos in the street etc...but often kids look up to their teachers and want to be just like them.

I don't think I'd be happy if my kids said they wanted to permanently deface their bodies just like their teacher.

On the other hand, DH and I have no tattoos at all and my DS1 has 4 of them...so I guess they do as they please in the end anyway...and rightly so as it's their body.

I think I've just talked myself round in a full circle

It doesn't look very professional to have tattoos IMHO, but then neither do vest tops, shudder.