Mark Johnson has been a high school English teacher for 15 years in Ogden, Utah. He had his arms tattooed (in dedication to his wife and kids) soon after he was hired there, and has never gotten any opposition to them from the school district--until now. Ogden district authorities have established a new dress code that affects all staff across the board; that dress code now requires all tattoos to be covered up. There is no "grandfather" clause.
The fact that Mr. Johnson is a dedicated teacher means nothing; if he doesn't cover his ink, he could be fired. A district rep says that they decided that "teaching is a profession, and we want to set a professional standard so that our students will look at their teachers and say, 'Yes, they are a professional and yes, I could be a teacher, and I would love to have education as my career for thirty years.'"
I love it when bigots make themselves look like total idiots while trying to justify their dogmatism.For the moment, Johnson isn't backing down, and rightfully so - he feels it's important to stand up for what you believe in. Now that's the kind of lesson I want my kids to learn - and maybe even want to spend 30 years teaching others!
Comments
I agree with the real lesson to teach your kids on this one. There are still quite a few professions that have restrictions on tattoo’s, but it has come a long way in recent years. Just goes to show we’re only half way there.
I would have no problem with this man teaching my daughter. If he has had a 15 yr career with this school, I’m sure that the message behind his ink is well known and a strong message about family values. What is more important than that?
I went for a job interview yesterday and it was going good until they mentioned that they do not allow piercings or tattoos-they prefer the clean and wholesome image. This does irritate me but it is there business. Readers Digest had an interesting article a few months back stating that employers do themselves a great disservice by not hiring people with tattoos or piercings as it shows they are creative and know there own minds and are not afraid to show it!
Fairygrandmother- I’ve been doing the interview thing lately and have noticed the same trend. I don’t have facial piercings but several cartiledge on both ears, also a tattoo that comes over my shoulder and collar bone.(also small inner wrist tattoo) I’ve felt the looks, why can’t they see the person and what I could do for their company? Would they be that judgemental to a person who came in dressed in some way that was not typical? Some day, people will look at ink and metal as nothing out of the ordinary.
My Tattoos are mind and if I cant work for you well I;ll go somewhere other then here
yes stand up for it
The human body is always treated as an image of society.
~ANTHROPOLOGIST MARY DOUGLAS
The tattoo attracts and also repels precisely because it is different.
~Margo DeMello, Bodies of Inscription: A Cultural History of the Modern Tattoo Community, 2000
The thing that stikesme so is that the people who judge and control are in “power” positions. The strive to control out of fear. It takes a couragous person to express themselves so blatantly on their very own skin. I think its sad in these modern times that in a country so “1st World” that one is being judged so. All ancient cultures go back to some kind of tattooing or body modification. I think the school systems should learn to teach and accept the courage to express and work harder to keep the children safe from drugs or abuse..those are the real dangers..not tattooed people
I have taught my daughter that no matter what a persons skin looks like, it has nothing to do with the person they are.
In fact, my girl thinks that people WITHOUT tattoos and piercings are the ‘abnormal’ ones. She is growing up in a colourful beautiful world and how blessed she is for it.
Good luck to Mr Johnson, I would be honoured for a man of such conviction to teach my daughter. If he chooses to epxress his love for his family in an artful way, wear his heart on his sleeve so to speak, then more power to him!!
Good for you, Mr. Johnson…if nobody had any concerns with him before then why make it an issue now. Thats a great school system that teaches your kids that freedom to express yourself is no longer aloud and if you like body art than you will never amount to much, you especially CAN NOT become a teacher. sorry!!!
Regardless of the rights and wrongs in this case, it does show that the decision to get tattoos may be something that people regret later, or it may restricty their choice of jobs. Getting a tattoo will affect not just you, but how people perceive you.
Good for you Mr. Johnson, don’t take it lying down. I can’t believe there isn’t a grandfather clause. Even the Marines have a grandfather clause after they prohibit “sleeves” back in 2007. He needs to see his union steward…this dress code might be a violation of the teachers contract. Solidarty brothers and sisters!
I actually had him as a teacher last year. He definitely isn’t professional but it’s not because of his tattoos. He rarely taught us, was lazy, and straight up lied to me about the grade I was getting because he probably was too lazy to look it up. So I don’t care one bit that he’s finally being forced to clean up his act in some way.
Although, I am feeling for the teacher in this case, I could not also blame the school’s stand on this situation. No matter what standpoint you look it in, teachers and tattoos just don’t go together if we want to get the right message to the students.
I still believe though that the teacher has every right to express himself with his tattoos. This should not be discounted from any individual at all.
It’s pretty simple…if you want the job, you will make the sacrifice requested. I personally have no tattoos and would NEVER get one. I dont need ink on my body so that I can feel better about myself. I am confident enough in myself the way I came into this world; however, I have very close friends that have tattoos and have no issues with them or their tattoos or piercings. My question for all of you is why should the employer have to make the sacrifice? Why is it wrong if they dont make a sacrifice, but OK if you do not? Isnt that just as much a double standard as anything?
Barry your an idiot, did you even read the story? They hired him and then he got the tattoo, BUT when they found out about it they did nothing. now after many years they decide to ban them. its unfair to him because if the school districts ban every “socially unacceptable” behavior all teachers will be out of the job. I am personally become a teacher and i have 3 tattoos. i dont want to be judged by what is on my skin i want them to know who i am on the inside and why i went into teaching. this is the age of bodily expression why try to hold it back when it is coming at full force. im happy that hes standing up for this. i would do the exact same thing if i where in his shoes