Teacher dress code prompts complaints, concerns in Savannah

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — School leaders in Savannah have been considering changes in the dress code for teachers.

The changes are being discussed after the Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools received complaints about teachers and employees with piercings, tattoos, stilettos and revealing necklines, The Savannah Morning News reported (http://bit.ly/29EZsZp ).

The proposed changes included a ban on personal listening devices such as iPods, chewing gum, wearing athletic shoes, unnatural hair coloring, excessive cologne, flip-flops and denim.

The new standards would apply to school and central office employees.

School board members were supposed to review the proposed changes at a recent meeting and vote on it in August, The Savannah newspaper reported. But they changed their mind after receiving negative responses from the community.

"For now we're just going to give this one a pass," school board President Jolene Byrne said at a recent board meeting.

There are too many concerns about the proposed changes, and teacher input should be gathered before the issue is brought back before the board, Byrne said.

In addition to email complaints, two parents came to a recent board meeting to voice their concern. One of them, who had tattoos and a nose ring, argued that it was not an unprofessional distraction, the Savannah newspaper reported.

The existing regulations already list some specific articles of acceptable business clothing and skirt lengths. The current rules also allow principals to judge whether clothing is too revealing, and gives them the discretion to ask teachers to cover piercings and tattoos during instructional periods.

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Information from: Savannah Morning News, http://www.savannahnow.com

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