Modern World: Cookie Cutter Teachers

Teachers are and always have been a cookie cutter version of what teachers are “supposed to look like;” bland. Even though the modern world is continuously changing, we are still following the same rules and regulations on what a teacher is supposed to look like. In education there are so many attempts to connect with the youth to help encourage the students to be individuals, express themselves, and to not be judgmental of people; yet the teachers are being held to these same “old school” expectations and new age teachers are being judged themselves. Negative perceptions, hypocrisy, and lack of change; have caused an issue in education by creating a big gap between the connection with teachers and students.

Tattoos have always had a negative perception, just as Alix McCormick mentions in his article “That’s because tattoos are mostly associated with prison and violent gangs.” (McCormick, ‘Teachers with Tattoos’, 2018) There has always been a negative perception on tattooed individuals or on individuals who might not have the “normal” colored hair that is not black, brown, blonde or auburn. When thinking of tattoos and colored hair; most people relate it with gangsters, low lives, and uneducated individuals. According to the article Tattoos in the Academic Setting: A Student’s View; “nearly 30 percent of adults without tattoos think those with, are less intelligent.” (‘Tattoos in the Academic Setting a Students View’, 2015) There was a study conducted by Benjamin A. Martin and Chris S. Dula based on a 17-item measure consisting of biased statements about people with tattoos using the Martin Stigma Against Tattoos Survey (MSATS), a 6-point “Likert scale” by answering with “strongly agree” and “strongly disagree” (Martin & Dula, ‘Martin Stigma Against Tattoos Survey’, 2010), the results indicated the following:

“The results of this survey indicated that stereotypes about tattoos and people with tattoos – that they are unsuccessful in school, have poor decision-making skills, usually obtain body modifications while intoxicated – are still prevalent in society today.” (Martin & Dula, ‘Martin Stigma Against Tattoos Survey’, 2010)

When teachers, doctors, or any professional is seen with tattoos or colored hair, people tend to become uneasy due to stereotyping. If these stereo types are still as prominent as they have been, people will never be able to connect and see the professional as who they are and to see how much potential one might have.

Rhiannon Davies states in her article “Part of teaching is about not judging people by their looks,” and it is very hypocritical to judge a teacher for being an individual and self-expressive. (Swain & Davies, ‘Should Teachers be able to Have Tattoos?’, 2017) Teachers are needing to oppress who they are when in fact these teachers are supposed to feel confident on who they are, so they can freely lead these students to be individuals and to gain confidence to learn. Not only will the students connect better to a real person, but the teacher will be happy because they are not oppressing who they really are. If there is still hypocrisy, students will not have the chance to fully embrace change or confidence in being themselves.

“There was definitely an idea of what a teacher should look like,” Flanagan mentions in the article written by Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz, Flanagan mentions recalling in her early career in the 90’s, she states “Teachers wore long, wholesome floral skirts, not child-corrupting body art.” (Elejalde-Ruiz, ‘Tattooed Just as Employable as Uninked, Study Finds’, 2018) Lack of change will not allow relationships to flourish between teacher, students, admin, or with parents. There has been so many changes as years have gone by, we can’t expect the students from this modern world to connect to teachers who are still expected to act like the teachers from the 90’s. Teachers have always been “grant money and numbers on evaluation scores,” as Daniel J. Leonard states in his article. (Leonard, ‘The Inked Academic Body’, 2012) Teachers are people too and if adults cannot see that teachers have a personality, students will not have the chance to build real relationships with their teachers. Students will continue to find a YouTube star to be their role model instead of allowing teachers to be the most influential role model available to them.

Negative perceptions, hypocrisy, and lack of change; will continue to cause an issue in education by creating a big gap between the connection with teachers and students. If we continue to have “cookie cutter” teachers teaching students who are seeking real connections, there will never be real relationships built and the cycle will just continue to repeat throughout generations.