Vernon School Board's Policy Committee Charged With Drafting Teacher Dress Code

The Board of Education has directed its Policy Committee to draft wording for a dress code for faculty members and teachers.

The vote on Monday was far from unanimous after a short debate. Republicans William Nicholson and Laura Bush voted against a motion to send the directive to the Policy Committee along with Democrat Terri Goldich. Democrats Kyle Percy and Michele Arn and Republican Anne Fischer voted for it.

Republican Chairman Dean Houle then broke the tie with an affirmative vote.

Nicholson said the board "has bigger fish to fry" than taking on a dress code.

"I think we have far more important things to worry about," he said. "I think education should be our priority."

Houle fired out a rebuttal.

"I completely disagree," he said. "They are role models."

One elementary school parent echoed Nicholson's sentiments by saying, "The teachers in our schools dress professionally. A better dressed teacher will still teach the same. Find more important issues to deal with."      

Another elementary school parent said teachers, "dress in a professional manner - nice pants and tops, skirts and dresses."

The parent added, "These teachers need to dress comfortably as they are exposed to different activities with their students, both outdoors and inside. Temperatures in the class can vary as well. There has not been any inappropriate dress as far as I have seen."

One elementary school parent said there might be too much freedom.

"There are times when teachers look sloppy and a bit unprofessional in their dress,"  the parent said. "On Fridays teachers pay to wear jeans and the money goes to charity. But there are occasions where teachers look a bit too casual."

Superintendent of Schools Mary Conway requested the agenda item, but prefaced the discussion with the explanation that a dress code is "a bargainable issue."

"The union will want to bargain this," she said.

Indeed, said Connecticut Education Association President Sheila Cohen.

"Teachers are professionals and they understand their responsibility to dress professionally and appropriately for the classroom.," Cohen said. "A dress code for teachers is a mandatory subject of bargaining, which means no change can be implemented without consultation and agreement with the local association."

No timetable was given to vote on a proposed dress code.