Teacher...a bit like Jordan...but worse

[Jinx1906]

Was hoping to get some advice here.

My dd is currently in year 4 and has been very lucky to have had a very nice teacher who has made good progress with her. From speaking to some of the other mums it seems that all are very happy with her.

On the friday before half terms DD had a letter in her schoolbag saying that DD's current teacher would look after the kids 2 days per week and that another teacher who has now returned from leave will be taking over the class 3 days per week. The trouble is that not only are we unhappy with the school's decision to replace a very popular teacher for the last half term of the year but that she is being replaced by someone who is not at all popular, appart from with some of the dads perhaps. My older daughter also had her in year 6, which was a complete waste of time. She was not able to maintain discipline in her class and was often rude or on the mobile chatting in front of her class.

I know that the school is not going to take our concerns on board. Some partents have already written to the school to voice their concerns but have not received any replies so far. I would very much like to do the same but is it reasonable to complain about a teacher putting a lot of cleaving on display, wear see through blouses and mini skirts whilst at work which is my main concern at this stage. The current teacher told me that the school reports are currently being put together and that all testing has now been done, so in terms of academic stuff I'm not that concerned. Not much happens in most schools during the last few weeks in any event.

Any advice very much appreciated.

Thank you mummies.

If she is having personal calls in class time and dressed as you describe then of course you have grounds for complaint,mand both are easy to deal with - dress can be seen by everyone and she just gets told to cover up, and phone logs can be checked.

If she is coming back from long term leave, then presumably none of the unhappy parents have seen her for a while? Maybe she has taken on your concerns and will return to work with a new approach/wardrobe/ attitude.

"and phone logs can be checked" no they can't

If this is true and unexaggerated then of course YANBU about that attire. People do not have the right to wear whatever they wish to work and female teachers are no exception to that.

I am a female teacher and, at school, cannot wear:
denim, mini skirts, very low cut tops, flip flops, unnaturally coloured hair dye, 'casual' clothing (joggers and hoodies etc), trainers, clothing that is overly tight or has rips/frays on it, visible tattoos, piercings other than the ears and probably other things I can't think of right now.

Most of those things also apply to men. In addition, the male teachers at my school are not allowed teeshirts, long hair or make up.

We expect children to conform to standards of presentation so why not teachers?

Looking unprofessional doesn't stop you being a great teacher but that doesn't mean it's acceptable.

How about if you had a male teacher who was a Sikh? Can he have long hair?

...& what if he had a huge zit in dire need of a dab of medicated concealer?

Oh, & I've restricted my piercings to my ears in recent years, but there are quite a few of them. My hair is jet black, so I'm not sure if that counts as unnatural or not, & my tattoo occasionally peeks out from short sleeved tops if I wave my arms about when teaching.

My experience is that the more fussy you make some arbitrary list - & uniform regs should really apply to the students, not the staff - the more of a time-consuming, pointless palaver it becomes for everyone.

The likelihood is that the HT has already had a word with this teacher about dressing in a way that won't trigger playground bullying from the parents.

If I thought this was a joke thread before, I believe it even more now.

I'm siding with Jordan ;)

Loving this thread
You really need to separate the teaching from the appearance. If there's a problem with the teaching then talk to the head/ follow the school's complaints procedure.
If it's the appearance then check whether there is a dress code - most schools ime are fairly strict on making sure teachers adhere to this. Otherwise, buy her high-necked cardies as end of term gifts, take every opportunity to say to her "My dear, aren't you COLD?" while looking as disapproving as possible and for heavens sake don't ever let her get her hands on a Cadbury's Flake.

BOLLOCKS

When my dc were at school I always used to expect the worst in terms of teachers, anything better than this was a bonus.
I think people expect too much from teachers these days, they are only council employees after all.
I don't mean that to sound disrespectful, I have a lot of time for teachers. Its an awful system though.

On a lighter note - when I was interviewed for my current teaching post I was told by the chair of governors that the school did not have a dress code as such but expected all staff to dress sensibly and appropriately for the job. He then asked me what I understood by that. My reply was this - "bum, boobs and thighs not on show but knees possibly OK and trousers OK for either sex but not jeans apart from Jeans for Genes day". The whole interviewing panel fell about laughing and then confirmed that my reply was spot on - and I got the job. I had worked out that jeans were not generally worn in this school as no staff were wearing them when I was shown round. Schools have different rules re dress and, for some, there are more important things to worry about. Complain about the teaching if you feel it is not good but it is up to the Headteacher to decide if dress is inappropriate and do something about it if it is.

Also meant to say that I am very surprised about the mobile phone problem. Our headteacher has made it clear that mobile phones should never be switched on during the working day apart from in the staffroom at break time and lunch time. Any one found using/checking a phone in their classroom during teaching time would receive a very severe dressing down from the Head or Deputy.

Are you in Sussex by any chance? She sounds like the woman who used to teach my daughter in Kent, including the mobile going off.

We don't have to lock away our phones but are obviously expected not to use them in lessons! I must admit, I have seen teachers (not at my school) who do look rather like prostitutes.

Morethan that does come across as rather disrespectful and rather sad.

"Most of her pears" - Brilliant.

Try peers. ;)

TBH I wouldn't be concerned about her being a role model for my son, I'd be concerned about my daughter (if I had one). Orange is never an acceptable shade of fake tan and I would like my daughter to realise this. Also, while I suppose in egalitarian britain where there is nothing wrong with being a multimillionaire glamour model, I'd rather my daughter was a solicitor...and she probably won't be taken very seriously in court if she dresses in a sexually provocative manner, it's distracting....
This is one of those damned if you do, damned if you don't debates. I have no issue with people 'dressing for themselves' or for people not to be judged on their appearance (after all, anything that isn't a burkha would probably be reason for complaint in some countries). But if we are going to use that arguments should girls that attend the school not also be able to wear tonnes of makeup, fake eyelashes, mini skirts etc, instead of a smart school uniform that is meant to prepare them for the world of work? I don't think you can defend the teacher without also saying you don't mind your daughter dressing like that in school.
I suppose it's about having the right social currency and being appropriate for the occassion, rather than 'dressing for yourself' it's about 'dressing to respect others' like covering up in a mosque. She's free to dress how she likes in her spare time, just like I am (and I hate suits but I have to wear one or I'd get sacked). But as said, unless it's having a negative effect on your children or the children complain (why do we have to wear uniforms?) i'd just drop it. She's obviously worked hard to get her degree and a profession so in that respect she is a good role model.
Here's a very good philosophical debate to have with the kids! lol.