Many schools expect their staff to wear “smart business dress” or “professional attire.” So did the one where Reddit user ExeTheHero worked.

In fact, it was so rigid that when the teacher injured his foot, they didn’t allow him to put on sneakers.

But as he explained on the subreddit ‘Malicious Compliance,’ eventually, he found a creative solution to the problem, highlighting that the policy needed to be reconsidered (or at the very least, include a few exceptions) and earning his students’ respect in the process.

In a way, teachers too have uniforms

Image credits: Lukas (not the actual photo)

And this one wasn’t happy with the one “issued” by the school

Image credits: demoniacult (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Milad Heran (not the actual photo)

Image source: ExeTheHero

The teacher said the administration of that school seemed to be dragging a few decades behind

Image credits: VitalikRadko (not the actual photo)

We got in touch with ExeTheHero to ask the teacher more about his time at that school and he said that in the beginning, he was really happy there because his colleagues seemed friendly and helpful.

“The teachers at my previous school were very cliquey, and I never really felt welcome or wanted, so that was a nice change,” the author of the post told Bored Panda. “Unfortunately, I figured out pretty quickly that my new administration was super micromanage-y and comically behind the times in their philosophies.”

“I alluded to it in my post and various comment replies, but I’m confident that they read ‘how to teach’ manuals from the 1950s and genuinely believed they’d transfer to teaching Gen Z in the 2020s,” he added. “Any lesson that wasn’t an 85-minute lecture was seen as frivolous and un-educational.”

According to the Redditor, the “students having fun was a foreign concept to them, as — and I quote from my principal — ‘Students come here to learn, not to laugh,’ As a teacher who went through schooling learning the importance of group work, critical thinking, mixing up lessons, incorporating a variety of activities, and everything else in modern teacher pedagogy, it felt like everything they wanted me to do was just backward and wrong. It just felt like we were doing a genuine disservice to the students.”

The dress code, compared to other establishments, only further reinforced those bad impressions.

“My previous school was super relaxed about the dress code for staff. I don’t remember what triggered the response, but the superintendent there said at one point ‘I can think of a lot of things worse than teachers in denim,'” the teacher explained. “Basically, as long as you were appropriately covered, there were no issues.”

“The female staff wore leggings with a nice top ninety percent of the time, and the male staff, myself included, generally wore a polo shirt or a golf shirt with khakis. Pretty much everybody wore sneakers or sandals/flip-flops daily. On Fridays, I would wear a fun graphic t-shirt with an unbuttoned button-up. I probably wouldn’t been fine with just the t-shirt, but I was new there and felt like the button-up added a hint of professionalism.”

However, immediately upon transferring, the teacher had a bit of a culture shock about the differences between the two schools’ policies. “I needed to run out and buy a bunch more button-up shirts and ties since I now needed them 5 days a week.”

The teacher also failed to think of any real benefits the school might have due to policing their employee wardrobes. “Sure, it’s nice to have a building full of teachers who look professional, but, like, do sneakers suddenly make me unprofessional? Is a bowtie instead of a tie such a horrible thing that it would drag down the whole building? If a female teacher showed 2 inches of the ankle, would the building spontaneously combust? It’s just unnecessary to me, and pretty much all of my former colleagues were in agreement.”

“As for the impact it had on teachers directly, well, they would get reprimanded for wearing their jackets in their classrooms in the winter,” the Redditor said. “And we’d also get in trouble if we loosened our ties when we were melting in the summer months. How, exactly, are messages like that supposed to accomplish anything other than [angering] the teachers? It’s just demoralizing, and teachers nationwide could really use a morale boost these days.”

He reiterated what he had already mentioned in the post, highlighting that the students themselves appreciated when the teachers dressed down “because we looked like them. ”

“It added a human element. It was also a good way to forge connections with students! My sneakers of choice are black canvas skate shoes, and I had way more conversations with students about those than I ever did about my dress shoes.”

Experts think there should be at least some leeway within these policies

Image credits: Yan Krukau (not the actual photo)

Education expert Beth Lewis acknowledges that outer appearances can make strong impressions and teachers are not immune to being judged based on their looks.

“Teachers work with administrators, students, families, and other teachers on a daily basis and need to make sure to put their best foot forward for all of them,” she said.

However, she believes that their wardrobe choices should be guided not only by professionalism but also by practicality and comfort.

Lewis advises teachers to opt for age-appropriate clothing. “It is not your job to dress for parents and families but know that you will probably be at least partially judged by your clothing. Think of how you would like to be perceived and dress accordingly—this goes for makeup too.”

According to her, that could mean keeping up with the latest trends, sticking with the classics, or something in between, depending on the circumstances.

“When in doubt, go for an approximation of business casual and avoid grey areas,” Lewis added. “If you’re not sure of a school rule, play it safe. As long as you present yourself as the qualified professional that you are, don’t wear anything that your students aren’t allowed to wear, and maintain authority, your clothing can be as fashionable and contemporary as you want it to be.”

When it comes to feet, the education expert suggests avoiding any shoe you wouldn’t feel comfy in for 8 or more hours straight. “Teachers spend most of their days standing, weaving between desks, and even squatting and kneeling. High stiletto heels and toe-pinching loafers are not kind to your heels and arches for long periods of time.”

That said, Lewis thinks it’s probably a good idea to “stay away from overly casual tennis shoes and sandals except during days where you are outside a lot such as field trips or walk-a-thons. Other than that, any comfortable shoe that is sensible and easy to walk in is perfectly fine,” she explained.

Research from 2022 shows there is, indeed, a complex relationship between what people wear in the academic world and the perceptions they create. While more elegant and formal clothing conveys qualities such as care and attention to detail, athletic or informal clothing in these settings is associated with flexibility and directness.

So it sounds like an extra pair of sneakers walking up and down the halls shouldn’t be the biggest administrative worry.

As the story went viral, its author provided more information on the whole ordeal

And people have had a lot to say about it

Some even said they’ve had similar experiences

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