Lesson in what not to wear: teacher dress codes gain popularity

Teacher dress codes are becoming more widely used, including throughout central Indiana school districts.

New teacher Rebekah Cerqua was getting ready this week for her very first day in the classroom at Greenfield-Central High School. Cerqua said deciding what to wear was one of her preparations.

"I was nervous...I didn't know what I was supposed to wear, not allowed to wear [or] where the line was drawn," Cerqua said.

Cerqua's high school gave her a dress code to follow in their handbook. She said that helped eliminate questions and reminded her to pay attention to what she wears.

"The statement of not dressing like your students, that's a big one," Cerqua said.

Greenfield-Central Principal Steve Bryant said that he tells teachers to distinguish themselves from students by dressing in a minimum of business casual attire.

"When I walk down the hallway, I want to be able to distinguish [between] who my teachers are [and who my students are]. We have a lot of younger teachers that look like students," Bryant said.

There are nearly 1,400 teachers statewide under the age of 25. Bryant said that it's not always the youngest teachers that need a reminder about dress though.

Another concern for schools can be keeping the line between teachers and students clear. By reminding teachers to dress professionally, they can make a subtle difference in keeping the teacher-student relationship professional as well.

"They are the professionals in the building and students are the students," Bryant said.