To get a tattoo that's very visible as a teacher?

[LifeLong13]

I've been teaching for over a decade. I have several tattoos and only one is visible and it's on my foot.

I'm debating a tattoo of a lotus flower on my lower arm.

As a parent how would you feel if your child's teacher was tattooed? If you employ teachers how would you feel?

I can't imagine most parents would care but I could see it potentially having an effect on career progression. People can be more conservative than you think about these things.

I get so many patients ask about my tattoos. I have two big ones on my upper arms which you can see if I lift my arms and they are a big talking point. The ones on my wrists are often commented on and complimented.

I know so many paramedics with full sleeves. Loads of them are heavily tattooed.

It really isn't an issue. People do care more about how well we look after them when they are vulnerable. That is what they really care about.

I'd say definitely not. I personally don't like tattoos (even though I have a regrettable tattoo on my hip as a consequence of love -gah) whilst such a marking should not bear any judgement on you as a person, imo there would be pockets of people (unfortunate as it is)who would view you as unprofessional. Teachers are meant to espouse a wholesome clean cut image - a role model to children and many parents and potential employers might be out off by this.

I have interviewed many teachers as chair of governors - I would not automatically reject a candidate with a very alternative appearance but it you were level pegging after interview with another candidate then I would choose the candidate I felt would be the best fit with the school, pupils and parents.
In my experience a lot of parents dislike visible tattoos, it's your choice to make but it is something that could go against you at interview.

I wouldn't mind one bit! Dd has just started reception and I reckon she would be quite taken with a teacher who had a beautiful flower on her arm!

I can't imagine for one second it would alter the quality of your teaching.

onemillion - no I don't think children judge and need the "blank canvas" approach so much, but I think their parents do!

Your body your choice. Why should a parent even have a say. You're qualified to do the job you do that's enough

Headofthehive55

That's your problem then, not theirs. Why does someone having a tattoo make them less approachable? My DP is one of the sweetest, kindest guys you could ever meet and has a full sleeve and a couple of other tattoos. He got his to cover up scars from Iraq. I know several cancer survivors who have had tattoos to cover up surgery scars.

You never know anybody's story and it disgusts me that there are judgemental people like you. I would rather my kids be covered in tattoos and piercings than be a snob with nasty thoughts like that.

I really wonder what the point in posting is, if you're going to do it anyway. Just do it.

I would say I wasn't bothered, each to their own and all that until the past few years. Unfortunately I have has quite a few poor experiences with people with that look, and therefore think appearances matter perhaps more than I did!

I don't find them approachable because they haven't been. Thus my feelings have been due to previous experiences, rightly or wrongly.

I don't think I am any more judgemental than the person who thought they would be more approachable.

Well the op posted, read people's opinions, and then made her choice to continue with the tattoo. What's the issue? Was she only allowed to come to the conclusion not to get the tattoo based upon the many uses of the word 'horrid' by a few odd posted who get all ranty and angry about how other people look

Surely you realise how stupid that is though? That'd be like saying "I don't trust white people because I've had trouble with white people in the past". It's ridiculous - people can be horrible with or without tattoos and you using past experiences to keep your prejudice is just you trying to make yourself feel less horrible for feeling that way.

Yes if course - but it does make one more wary. i was responding in particular to the poster who said it made her feel more comfortable. Why would that be so? Is that judgemental, of course!

What awful judgement to Feel less comfortable with a teacher with none! But you don't want to hear that. But we are human beings and do bring past experiences into play.

I think you do relate better to people that you are similar to.

Minty - certainly worth thinking about; it would be a shame to alienate your "clients" from the outset!

Do you think the tide is turning as tattoos, piercings etc get more mainstream? My workplace is pretty relaxed for a big corporate, but most people in HO aren't front facing, so hard for me to get a read...

I'm cogniscent enough of the judgement that I wouldn't get anything I couldn't cover... Just in practice, I think most workplaces care a lot more about how well you do your job.

Although you need to get your feet under the table first...!

I don't see how a bit of ink makes you unprofessional, but then I would say that seeing as I have tattoos, and eight piercings in my ears, and my nose done and dreadlocks.
Oh, and I'm a teacher.
And do you know what I do for interviews? I wear a smart dress and a long sleeved jacket which covers my forearm tattoo, and I french braid my hair neatly into a bun.
The kids singularly don't notice my piercings, or if they do, move on very very quickly. I've only ever had a few kids even notice my wrist tattoo and then it's normally kids whose parents have them and they want to compare them with mummy or daddy's.

Of course, the school I'm in at the moment doesn't care, we can wear jeans if we so wish, so long as we can get on the floor with the kids and do PE and bend over tables and things without flashing our pants or cleavage. But then we also only ask that the children wear a white top and sensible bottoms (there is a uniform if they can afford it). We are Ofsted Outstanding.

The best teachers my kids have had have tattoos, and DS1 has SN so it's more important they help him than anything else.

I wouldn't think twice, and in fact would even admire it

I wouldn't care as a parent but it may well affect your employment as some schools have no visible tattoo rules.

I wouldn't give a shit, one of the teachers at DC school has full sleeves-he's by far the best teacher there.

It wouldn't bother me at all if it was tasteful and reasonably discreet (even if occasionally on show).

The tattoos I dislike are ones that are badly done or that suggest somebody has a less "professional" approach. I know somebody with very badly done skull tattoos all up his arms. I think they do show a lack of judgment and I also don't really understand why somebody intelligent would want to express themselves with permanent reminders of something that represents mortality / violence! But a small lotus flower isn't in that category.

I wouldn't have a visible tattoo because clients who I represent in my relatively conservative profession as a lawyer probably wouldn't like it. But I think that in teaching it is fine.

I wouldn't care at all. I have no tattoos but really want one. I'm a doctor; and I'm contemplating the best place. I think it's going to have to be somewhere no one can see really, or maybe my foot which can be hidden easily

I'm actually trying to think if any of my kids teachers have tattoos now and I really have no idea. I vaguely recall seeing a small wrist tattoo on one of them at a parents evening but I can't remember who.

In fact TBH in general I have no clue who has tattoos that I know. I can't recall most of them, only the ones who are covered or the ones who have tattoos I've been shown/told the story about. I just don't really give a shiny shite what anyone else puts on their skin.

A lotus flower on your lower arm wouldn't bother me.

Something like this might.