‘Do you let them wear that?’ Teacher criticized for ‘unprofessional’ outfits

IF you think of a typical teacher, you might picture him or her in a somewhat dull and boring outfit.

But nothing could be further from the truth for this teacher who wears comfortable and casual clothes in her classroom – and even leggings are fine.

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Katy Johnson, who goes by @ms.johnson.teaches on social media, recently took to TikTok to show off her outfits for a typical week as a teacher.

But instead of sloppy dresses, Katy wore comfy leggings, ripped jeans and even a stylish pair of leather pants, much to the shock of her fellow TikTok users and other teachers.

On Monday, the teacher showed off her outfit for the day: a tight long-sleeved T-shirt, flared black leggings, Ugg boots and a matching short vest.

On Tuesday, she wore a similarly casual look, but this time Katy opted for ripped navy jeans and a blue high-neck sweater, which she paired with black sneakers.

On Wednesday she also wore a sweater, but this time she combined it with trendy black leather pants and black Converse.

On Thursday the ripped jeans were back, this time with white Converse and a black sweater.

And finally, the teacher ended the week with a school colors day, so she decided to wear black ripped jeans, a white long-sleeved top, and a black and yellow sports top over that.

It’s no surprise that people were amazed by Katy’s relaxed school style, and even more amazed that she got to wear most of her clothes.

Someone commented on the clip: “You can wear leggings AND jeans with holes??? Lucky!”

“Fellow teacher, Monday’s outfit is so cute, but are you allowed to wear it?!”

“I’ve been told before that my JEANS are too tight,” wrote another.

But Katy responded to the comment, explaining that her school is “really great and flexible.”

“I wish I could dress that casual,” said another teacher.

Others praised Katy’s cool and comfortable style, with one saying she “should be the teacher everyone has a crush on.”

“When I say I want to be a stylish teacher, that’s exactly what I mean,” wrote someone else.

And another agreed: “I know your students love all your outfits.”

“So nice to find another high school teacher who dresses like me,” someone else commented on the viral clip.

However, not everyone was thrilled with her appearance, with one user even calling her style “inappropriate” for school.

“Sorry, but this is just unprofessional,” another responded bluntly.

Do teachers adhere to a dress code?

The National Education Union on dress codes for teachers…

The NEW does not recommend formal dress codes for school staff.

The NEU believes that employees should be able to dress as they see fit, unless it is detrimental to their ability to do their job or is otherwise considered unsafe or inappropriate for an objective and reasonable reason.

Schools should take into account the following principles:

• Employees have the right to expect respect for their religious beliefs, cultural practices and gender identity.
• Clothing should not hinder teaching, learning and assessment.
• The health and safety of students and staff must be assessed.
• Consultation with staff is an essential principle.
• Each case must be assessed on its own merits in the light of the principles set out in this Directive.