Korean Job Discussion Forums

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/uk_news/england/london/7941711.stm

cdninkorea · Joined: 27 Jan 2006 Location: Seoul

People like that deserve awards or soemthing; when you're that good at something, how you dress shouldn't matter anymore.

hobakmorinam · Joined: 22 Dec 2008

96% pass rate, in math nonetheless, for 17 years. Fired for "unofficial dress code"...

Considering the elementary teachers I used to work with all wore matching track suits half the time, maybe YOU are the one that needs to get thee to the Kindy class.

Kryten · Joined: 10 Nov 2008

hobakmorinam, I think you're missing the point YuBumSuk is making.

wayfarer · Joined: 05 Jun 2007

It shouldn't be a firing offense, certainly not for an expert teacher. Still, I can't understand why a teacher of mathematics should insist on dressing as if he were at the basketball court. People should have more respect for their environment. 56 year-old teachers in trainers and tracksuits are an eyesore.

ekul · Joined: 04 Mar 2009 Location: [Mod Edit]

Fired for not adhering to an unofficial dresscode? He will most likely sue for unfair dismissal and win.

Wayfarer, he obviously felt more comfortable wearing trainers and tracksuit and his results reflected that. You are assuming that a 56 year old who teaches and wears trainers will be an eyesore. Perhaps the reason he wears sports clothes is he does triathlon or runs to school, anything like that. I feel sorry for the bloke, the best teachers in my life didn't give a shit about anything other than teaching their students.

wayfarer · Joined: 05 Jun 2007

How about not bathing or not brushing your teeth? After all it's my business and what has it got to do with teaching... that may sound like an extreme comparison but there's a similar principle. It's really not that much to ask. Yes, shame on the school for firing a capable teacher over an "unofficial" dress code, though.

ekul · Joined: 04 Mar 2009 Location: [Mod Edit]

Unfair comparison, being hygenic and dressing casual are totally different. I'm not sure anyone could comfortably learn while being bombarded with body odour and halitosis.

I can agree, wearing a pair of shoes and trousers isn't a big deal, but if for 17 years he has been dressing like that then I think no new chump of a headteacher can call him up on it. It's a poor show and I'm embarrassed it happened in England. Luckily the papers got hold of it and made a mockery, hopefully the headteacher is in hot water for looking like an arse and the teacher can get his job back.

yingwenlaoshi · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Location: ... location, location!

He could hold the student's head under his armpit until he gets the answer right.

bluelake · Joined: 01 Dec 2005

For many, many years, I wore a dress shirt (often with a tie), slacks, and dress shoes & socks to work. However, in the past few years, even though I still wear the former (dress shirt and slacks), I now put on nice-looking black athletic shoes instead of the dress shoes. The dress shoes are just too uncomfortable day in and day out; however, I still wear them to formal occasions.

If the guy in question was slobbish about it, that would be one thing, but if he took care of his general appearance, I think he should be left alone.

Scotticus · Joined: 18 Mar 2007

BS.Dos. · Joined: 29 Mar 2007

Tower Hamlets is one of the most economically deprived boroughs of London, ney, UK. The fact that the local education authority gave him the boot over his dress code is simply disgusting.

It's hard enough keeping good teachers in the profession, let alone in those inner city schools where no-one want's to teach. It's a classic situation where everyone loses: the teacher himself, the profession and, more importantly, the kids.

BS.Dos. · Joined: 29 Mar 2007

"A dress code is a way to pretend something is being done to make a school better when what should be addressed is under-achievement"
Adrian Swain

Nice quote.

gazz · Joined: 13 Oct 2008

Tower Hamlets is a black spot for education in London on the whole.

Yeah this guy seems to have a done a great job with the results but thats not the point.

How could the school enforce its school uniform policy with the kids when there is a teacher walking about in trainers and a T-shirt or whatever?

This is a very difficult area in London so I can sort of guess why he chose to dress like he did - to get the respect of the kids???

But part of a schools role is to prepare the kids for life after school. It is not professional for a real teacher not to be wearing smart clothes.

Its not like he won't of been given loads of warning to change his clothes.

It is very difficult to fire a teacher in the UK. We still have very strong unions compared to 95% of professions in the UK. This head teacher will not have done this lightly because he/she will be in for a tough time now when they need things from them in the future.

Swampthing500 · Joined: 24 Feb 2009

I think the teacher in question was an idiot for refusing to change his clothing style.

Now, let me explain. For me it is a question of priorities, and about picking and choosing your battles.

The teacher needed to ask what was far more important in the larger scheme of things, defying a dress code, which would vanish once he left work, or teaching and helping his students.

To be honest, I think he was selfish and small-minded, by putting his own sense of style ahead of the needs of his students.

Teaching is NOT about the clothing you wear, but what the students know at the end of the day.