Dress code for teachers

The latest outburst to have been given prominence via this route is the way teachers dress. This has always been a contentious issue for many members of the national community and one which the union has repeatedly addressed.

It must be clearly understood that within recent times there have been no discussions on the issue between TTUTA and the Ministry of Education or the Division of Education, Youth Affairs and Sport (DEYAS). Also, for the record, there is an official Code of Conduct and the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association’s (TTUTA’s) Code of Ethics which address the issue.

Both these documents were developed after careful and extensive consultations with the relevant stakeholders, bearing in mind the unique status of the profession as well as the constitutional rights of citizens.

It is unfortunate that prominent citizens choose to weigh in on issues based on emotion rather than fact, very often expressing their personal biases in an attempt to impose their will on others.

During the tenure of Education Minister Esther Le Gendre, a National School Code of Conduct was developed. During these discussions many stakeholders who chose to emotionally weigh in on the matter had to be forcefully reminded that such codes of conduct had to take into consideration legal consequences, including the right to freedom of expression. An improperly imposed official dress code can open a floodgate of litigation.

While many may argue that we must not only look at issues from a strictly legal perspective, TTUTA in its Code of Ethics (developed based on the 1966 International Labour Organization/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Recommendations on the Status of the Teacher) reminds teachers that they must not only dress but conduct themselves in a manner that is consistent with the honour and dignity of the profession.

The issue of appropriate dress for teachers is a hugely subjective one and has to consider legal, cultural, geographical and curriculum delivery contexts.

It is thus impossible to prescribe appropriate attire for a teacher.

Rather, TTUTA reminds teachers that in their professional discretion, they must consider these issues together with the rest of their respective school communities and collectively determine appropriate standards of attire for all school personnel.

While there may be a few teachers who may present themselves for duty in what some may consider inappropriate attire, the vast majority of teachers do consistently dress in a manner that is in keeping with the nobility, honour and dignity of the profession.

Either way if some leaders or politicians feel there is need for dialogue on the matter, the door to discussions with TTUTA on this sometimes contentious subject is always open.

Our current Minister of Education or DEYAS secretary has not indicated the need for any such dialogue.

Principals at their respective schools have and will continue to monitor this issue.

Defining terms such as “short” or “tight” will always depend on one’s personal perspective and subject to interpretation. Self-regulation and professional autonomy should be the preferred approach over legislation on this issue. In addition, TTUTA insists that there are far more pressing issues confronting the education sector,