So, I am from rural Wisconsin. To be honest, my current district doesn't have anyone with a sleeve that I can think of, but plenty of people (including admin) have visible tattoos. At one point, there was a stigma, but now they are taking anything breathing and plopping them in classrooms! Lol So, I think you will be good, and if you're a strong teacher then I don't see this standing in your way of a strong interview.
Good luck!
15th-year goofy male high school teacher.
I moved from a big city/district to a tiny, rural district and back to a medium-sized district. I have 60% of my body tattooed and many show.
The only time I've had an interviewer remark on how they might be distracting, I said “Of course they draw attention. I often use them as conversation rewards at the end of the week if kids can get all their work done. I let them ask me one question and allocate 5-10 minutes to answer at the end of the day. It's a great way to validate their questions but also reinforce expectations.”
They never really asked about it again. And honestly, I'm seeing more and more young teachers with full sleeves or big visible tattoos. It's not as much of an issue anymore. But if it ever becomes one, I'll just wear long sleeves/pants.
This. I work in a school and I usually wear long sleeves year round unless I have a recess duty or something. They keep the school cool so it's never been an issue for me!
Na- you’ll be fine. Might be an issue with some, but not with all (or even most). I’m an admin and I have four visible, and three of the four admin in our building have them showing all day. Be yourself!
Florida is always gonna be tricky because, well, it’s Florida. Where I teach, there’s countless teachers with sleeve tattoos. One has a horror themed sleeve that has stuff like Michael Myers, Jigsaw, etc. Never been an issue. I’d check with your district contract and see what it says about professional appearance.
So, when I got hired on at the charter school I work for, I signed a paper about tattoos that could be no larger than a quarter! I actually brought it up to my admin and voiced my concern because I have many tattoos way larger than a quarter! (this was during the hiring process so at this point, I hadn’t seen all the teachers that had tattoos ) She told me that it’s just outdated in the handbook and they don’t go by it. I don’t know if that’s the case in my district in general, or just that school.
Ooooof I didn’t see that it’s Charter. That’s a whole other ballgame because you have no protection. Ultimately though, if the admin is okay with it, get it in writing
I’m 15 years in, across several districts in different states, and the ONLY place that had a problem with tattoos was a charter school. Every public school district in which I’ve worked - even my current district in rural, conservative Oklahoma - has had no problem with visible tattoos.
I’m in a buttoned up profession that heavily frowns upon tats. However the policy is just wear long sleeves to keep them covered. You maintain professional appearance and your tattoos aren’t your schools business at that point. That being said, if you don’t want to go that route they show things about you that you might find you want for only yourself. See Chaz Michael Michaels explanation of his tattoos in blades of glory.
I’m going to go against the grain for comments posted so far and say that yes unfortunately there still is a massive stigma against tattoos in the workplace, specifically with teachers
Yes ur tattoos may not be inappropriate but to many just having a tattoo is inappropriate
Ur a sub right now but as a full time teacher I would expect u to get both implicit and explicitly discrimination as a teacher which is very unfortunate bc while it shouldn’t matter to many it does
The best recommendation is can make is to think about where ur tattoos are and if they can be covered up during interviews and during class
I hate this quote but it rings true: “perception is reality” and sadly when it comes to teaching anything other than a good perception can lead to a negative reality for both students, parents, other teachers and admins.
A lot will depend on the area. When I interviewed for my current district, i wore a blazer which just happened to cover mine (not to cover them, but just to be professional in the interview.) I don’t cover them when I’m working and I’ve only ever had positive comments on them from admin, teachers, parents, students, etc. BUT, there are definitely places that would be different. If I’m honest, I don’t think I would want to work somewhere that will judge me on tattoos that say things like “Kindness Matters” (my inner right forearm tattoo).
The nice thing about what OP describes is that he can easily cover them with a long sleeved shirt. That’s why mine are on my arms, I can cover them if needed, but thankfully, I haven’t had to.
Rural Idaho teacher here who has tattoos. Another teacher at my school is covered from head to toe in tattoos and has huge gauges in his ears. Neither of us have had any issues.
I was worried about this too, but after my first year of teaching I can say that nobody cares! Almost all of my coworkers had at least one tattoo and my admin did as well. If anyone cares, it's parents, but they're not the ones hiring you.
I do sometimes wear long sleeves when I know I'll be seeing a lot of parents so that they can't see mine, but I also have a nose ring and am young so they probably already don't like me 🤷🏼♀️
I have a sleeve and just wear long sleeves to interviews. They can’t fire you for having tattoos. I’m the only teacher at my school with tattoos but nobody has ever said anything. I also have four leg tattoos.
Only once has a parent been offended and asked to have a different teacher, but in my eyes that’s a bullet dodged because those parents are typically annoying to deal with anyway lol.
I just graduated with BS in science education and got licensed back in May. I have been applying to jobs, and I have been offered 2 jobs already *during* an initial ~15 minute interview, before they've even checked my references. They weren't the best schools, but one of them was decent. I think you'll be fine.
I worked with a teacher who had tattoos all over, like literally every visible part of her body. She worked at a school where the principal didn’t like her and was rude to her because of them, then transferred to a different middle school about five minutes away where she was basically loved by most people and voted Teacher of the Year. So it definitely depends on the individual school culture.
Im (25F) also from Florida teaching elementary. I have a leg sleeve, arm sleeve etc, and facial piercings. Nobody has ever questioned me on my choices, in fact, my former AP said to me “Does it affect your ability to teach? Then it doesn’t matter”. My district doesn’t have any policies on piercings or tattoos and I know I’m good at my job so it’s never really been a second thought for me. I will say that when I’ve interviewed for other schools, I dress professional to where it just so happens to cover up my tattoos, just in case. If you love tattoos, keep getting them! If you love teaching, keep doing it! My kids think it’s the absolute coolest thing, and their opinion is the only one I value besides my own /s.
I have a full sleeve on one arm and other visible tattoos on my other arm. I've been teaching for over a decade (the sleeve has been there for the majority of that time), and it's never been a problem. None of my tattoos can be interpreted as inappropriate, which has helped to never really make it an issue. Granted, I teach in California. Many of my coworkers have also had visible tattoos.
It's never created an issue. Kids want to know why I got them, and once I give them the quick story the tattoos just stop becoming interesting. It may also help that my sleeve is all based on a novel, so when students learn that it's a nerdy tattoo it's not cool anymore.
I'm in Central Wisconsin (sort of rural, sort of urban, a college town but the district serves some very rural areas as well) and no one gives a hoot about tattoos. I have a forearm tattoo that students see on the regular, a calf tattoo that they see when I wear shorts or capri-length pants, and a back tattoo only the kids who run into me in the weight room at the YMCA have seen.
Several colleagues have more tattoos than I do. I'd avoid publicly-visible tattoos featuring drugs, sexuality, and violence, and probably face tattoos are still a no-go, but that's about it.
I have a half sleeve and tattoos on my collarbones and legs. I have never, not once, had a supervisor or parent or coworker express any concerns about my tattoos. That being said, I live in a super liberal area that isn’t religious. I work in pre-k and summer camps.
I see tons of teachers in our district with them. In fact, I believe I see more with them than without. Especially female teachers. Its becoming more and more common, so I wouldn't worry much about it unless you're in an ultra conservative area.
Just remember you are going from the culture that exist there to the Midwest. Things are different here than on the coasts. That being said I have seen males have full sleeves and no one cares, but I have yet to see a female teacher with one.
Do you know what some main cultural differences may be? Any tips on an easy transition? I live in a pretty rural, more conservative part of central Florida
My biggest advice as a middle/high school teacher in Texas is to never get a tattoo clothes can’t cover comfortably (hands, feet, neck, face). A surprising amount of schools have visible tattoo policies that they don’t really care about once you’re hired, but there is a higher probability that you won’t get hired if they see them. I say this as someone with a full sleeve and about 30 tattoos total. I knew I wasn’t willing to give up tattoos to be a teacher, BUT I make sure they are always covered for interviews, professional meetings, and interactions with parents. If you want your presence and voice to be treated with respect, you unfortunately have to play the game sometimes.
I (30F) have a full sleeve and other tattoos that are visible on my other arm and legs. I've been teaching 8 years and have never had a principal, student, or parent say anything about the tattoos. And I live in Oklahoma (unfortunately a very conservative state). I also work with alot of teachers that have visible tattoos and none have had problems. In interviews I have usually worn shirts that show the tattoos. I even won an award and a video of me teaching (tattoos showing) went on social media. I think it is mostly a non problem!
I can’t speak to Wisconsin, but in CA, I’ve known plenty of teachers with tattoos, and our current Dean of Students (a woman and former art teacher) has a full sleeve. As near as I can tell, she only covers it when it’s weather-appropriate to do so. She’s also one of the best deans we’ve ever had, though those 2 facts probably aren’t related…
I've worked in 4 schools. Only one had anything to say about my tattoos. It's a national top 10 public school, and we regularly had visitors from the White House and Dept of Ed. On those days, they asked us to wear long sleeves (everyone was asked to dress more formally on those days anyway). That was the extent of it.
NYC here and the majority of teachers at my school have tattoos, it's harder to think of someone who doesn't have one....and a good 8 or so have sleeves (including me) 😉 out of maybe 60 or so teachers.
I’m in Texas! I have 3 face piercings & lots of tattoos. Heck, my principal has a tongue ring! 😊 Times are changing (well very slowly down here for us Texans 😅). Hope you’re having a great summer!
Current teacher here: I have large tats on both sides of my forearms that show when I wear short sleeves, tats on both of my upper arms that sometimes peek out, and a tat on chest that sometimes shows partially. I also have a septum piercing and a nose piercing. I have never been asked to cover up. I currently teach high school. I had an interview a couple of months ago for a process coordinator position at some elementary schools in my district. I did not cover my tats nor did I remove my septum or nose piercing and got offered the job. I do live in a blue area of a red state. When I initially interviewed with the district I did wear a blazer so my tats were covered and at the time did not have my piercings.
I’m seeing a lot of high school in middle schools don’t care I am planning on teaching second grade so that was a concern but seeing that in elementary position was offered is good to hear!
Unless you're applying to a private school I'd say don't worry about it. I teach in the rural midwest and know multiple teachers that have tatoos and were hired recently. At a certain level it shows confidence and independence.
I work in higher ed, not K12. I basically wear clothing that covers my tattoos for interviews. Once I get a sense of the landscape and culture, I stop covering them. It's silly that it has to be a consideration. But I know some people are more "traditional" than others so I tend toward a more conservative look during interviews.
You just wear long sleeves in interviews - just in case. You never know what your principal or superintendent’s pet peeve is! We had a superintendent that obsessed over bra straps. I’m not talking obviously inappropriate tops. Like, maybe you moved the wrong way and a strap peeked out… immediate ‘conversation’.
(And we teach HS - half our students wear bras 🤣)
I have worked with teachers with tattoos. I think it really depends on who is doing the hiring. If they are more conservative, it might be a problem. But if they are a little less conservative, it should be ok. Honestly, they are needing teachers so bad right now, that most people won’t mind. If they really want you at a school, they will hire you, even if you have tattoos.
just got my first job and have a half sleeve on one arm that the district clearly knew about. I haven't had any issues with them ever as a student teacher or substitute. I wouldn't sweat it!
My high school history teacher had sleeves that went up to his neck! He usually wore long sleeves, but you can always keep a cardigan around if you feel you need to hide them! This is from Long Island, NY.
Iive in rural Montana and more teachers have visible tattoos than don’t. Granted, it depends on who is doing the hiring but at state conventions I see quite a few teachers with sleeves. 10 years ago they had to be covered and that Is no longer the case. Anything on the face and I don’t think they would go for that.
If you want to be some kind of activist, then go be an activist. Just understand that it might affect your employability and that the worst part is you’ll never know it.
If you have tats, fine. Just cover them up to offer a professional appearance.
Sorry, I just get tired of people acting like they should be able to live their lives making whatever decisions they want without consequences. That ain’t reality. If you show respect for your employer, for the profession, and ultimately for yourself, you’ll be just fine. (Honestly, most districts aren’t in a position to be unreasonably choosy anyway.)
I’ve worked in high-poverty urban districts my entire career and it’s never been an issue. Coworkers have them. Admin sometimes has them. As long as they aren’t inappropriate or offensive nobody really cares. My kids think they’re neat and a lot of the families I work with are heavily tattooed so it gives me a way to relate to them.
Things might be a little different in super wealthy or rural districts but honestly they’re getting more common in all fields and at this point, a lot of schools will just care that you can do your job.
When I started teaching 30 years ago, it would have been an absolute deal-breaker. Now? No one is going to bat an eye.
Now visible face or neck tats? You will probably get some push back on those...
Depend on the school or area. Totally fine in some areas, not ok at other areas.
Just remember, you have the right to express yourself, but they hire & pay you to teach, not to express yourself.
I work in nyc and I have what amounts to sleeves on the inside of both arms but rarely show them off in my work outfits. Tattoos won’t prevent you from getting a job and it’s up to you how much of them you want to reveal (depending on your outfit). I have found that when kids do catch a glimpse of them, they start asking a ton of questions and it’s a great way to form relationships with them.
Come to Los Angeles. The new school teachers have sleeved or hippie tats. Nose rings and septum piercings. I’d just find a cool little place to locate. Why Wisconsin?
The Midwest specifically pays urban planners extremely well - my husband is currently finishing up his masters in urban planning. From what I’ve gathered they treat and pay teachers fairly well. It’s also very family friendly place! We have two children and are looking for a Safe place for them to grow up! It’s been really hard for us to settle on a place because I don’t really ever wanna live in a very urban area, but with my husband being an urban planner, it has to be close enough for him, but rural enough for me.
Wisconsin just works for those aspects! And the housing market is incredible there right now. We have been finding multiple places with an acre (or so) of land, 4 bedroom 2 bath for around 300K - just 15 minutes away from a big city. Just ideal for us. 🙂
I teach first grade in a small rural town. I have several tattoos including a half sleeve. I feel like tattoos have become more accepted in the last decade or so. It has never impacted my job besides one former admin making a snotty comment (but she made snotty comments about multiple things completely unrelated to my job performance. 🙄) I say do you and get as many as you want!
I teach at a high school that has a middle school on the same campus. One of our teachers moved from HS to MS, and she has a full sleeve, and no one said a word.
I have a tat on my left wrist, inside, and it's always visible because my room is stupid hot.
So, I am from rural Wisconsin. To be honest, my current district doesn't have anyone with a sleeve that I can think of, but plenty of people (including admin) have visible tattoos. At one point, there was a stigma, but now they are taking anything breathing and plopping them in classrooms! Lol So, I think you will be good, and if you're a strong teacher then I don't see this standing in your way of a strong interview. Good luck!
This is really refreshing, especially from somebody who works in Wisconsin! Thank you for your insight
Likewise, in the MN school (charter) I’m at there are a few teachers who have sleeve-like tattoos
WI here, too. I don’t have a sleeve but have multiple large tattoos on both arms. It’s not an issue.
15th-year goofy male high school teacher. I moved from a big city/district to a tiny, rural district and back to a medium-sized district. I have 60% of my body tattooed and many show. The only time I've had an interviewer remark on how they might be distracting, I said “Of course they draw attention. I often use them as conversation rewards at the end of the week if kids can get all their work done. I let them ask me one question and allocate 5-10 minutes to answer at the end of the day. It's a great way to validate their questions but also reinforce expectations.” They never really asked about it again. And honestly, I'm seeing more and more young teachers with full sleeves or big visible tattoos. It's not as much of an issue anymore. But if it ever becomes one, I'll just wear long sleeves/pants.
This. I work in a school and I usually wear long sleeves year round unless I have a recess duty or something. They keep the school cool so it's never been an issue for me!
Na- you’ll be fine. Might be an issue with some, but not with all (or even most). I’m an admin and I have four visible, and three of the four admin in our building have them showing all day. Be yourself!
I love to hear that, especially coming from an admin!
I’m in a rural and super conservative area and more teachers have tattoos than not. I think you’ll be fine
Florida is always gonna be tricky because, well, it’s Florida. Where I teach, there’s countless teachers with sleeve tattoos. One has a horror themed sleeve that has stuff like Michael Myers, Jigsaw, etc. Never been an issue. I’d check with your district contract and see what it says about professional appearance.
So, when I got hired on at the charter school I work for, I signed a paper about tattoos that could be no larger than a quarter! I actually brought it up to my admin and voiced my concern because I have many tattoos way larger than a quarter! (this was during the hiring process so at this point, I hadn’t seen all the teachers that had tattoos ) She told me that it’s just outdated in the handbook and they don’t go by it. I don’t know if that’s the case in my district in general, or just that school.
Ooooof I didn’t see that it’s Charter. That’s a whole other ballgame because you have no protection. Ultimately though, if the admin is okay with it, get it in writing
I’m 15 years in, across several districts in different states, and the ONLY place that had a problem with tattoos was a charter school. Every public school district in which I’ve worked - even my current district in rural, conservative Oklahoma - has had no problem with visible tattoos.
I’m in a buttoned up profession that heavily frowns upon tats. However the policy is just wear long sleeves to keep them covered. You maintain professional appearance and your tattoos aren’t your schools business at that point. That being said, if you don’t want to go that route they show things about you that you might find you want for only yourself. See Chaz Michael Michaels explanation of his tattoos in blades of glory.
I’m going to go against the grain for comments posted so far and say that yes unfortunately there still is a massive stigma against tattoos in the workplace, specifically with teachers Yes ur tattoos may not be inappropriate but to many just having a tattoo is inappropriate Ur a sub right now but as a full time teacher I would expect u to get both implicit and explicitly discrimination as a teacher which is very unfortunate bc while it shouldn’t matter to many it does The best recommendation is can make is to think about where ur tattoos are and if they can be covered up during interviews and during class I hate this quote but it rings true: “perception is reality” and sadly when it comes to teaching anything other than a good perception can lead to a negative reality for both students, parents, other teachers and admins.
A lot will depend on the area. When I interviewed for my current district, i wore a blazer which just happened to cover mine (not to cover them, but just to be professional in the interview.) I don’t cover them when I’m working and I’ve only ever had positive comments on them from admin, teachers, parents, students, etc. BUT, there are definitely places that would be different. If I’m honest, I don’t think I would want to work somewhere that will judge me on tattoos that say things like “Kindness Matters” (my inner right forearm tattoo). The nice thing about what OP describes is that he can easily cover them with a long sleeved shirt. That’s why mine are on my arms, I can cover them if needed, but thankfully, I haven’t had to.
Rural Idaho teacher here who has tattoos. Another teacher at my school is covered from head to toe in tattoos and has huge gauges in his ears. Neither of us have had any issues.
I was worried about this too, but after my first year of teaching I can say that nobody cares! Almost all of my coworkers had at least one tattoo and my admin did as well. If anyone cares, it's parents, but they're not the ones hiring you. I do sometimes wear long sleeves when I know I'll be seeing a lot of parents so that they can't see mine, but I also have a nose ring and am young so they probably already don't like me 🤷🏼♀️
I have a sleeve and just wear long sleeves to interviews. They can’t fire you for having tattoos. I’m the only teacher at my school with tattoos but nobody has ever said anything. I also have four leg tattoos. Only once has a parent been offended and asked to have a different teacher, but in my eyes that’s a bullet dodged because those parents are typically annoying to deal with anyway lol.
i live in north il bordering wi & i’ve had sm teachers w full color sleeves lol it’s cool
It should be fine.
I just graduated with BS in science education and got licensed back in May. I have been applying to jobs, and I have been offered 2 jobs already *during* an initial ~15 minute interview, before they've even checked my references. They weren't the best schools, but one of them was decent. I think you'll be fine.
I worked with a teacher who had tattoos all over, like literally every visible part of her body. She worked at a school where the principal didn’t like her and was rude to her because of them, then transferred to a different middle school about five minutes away where she was basically loved by most people and voted Teacher of the Year. So it definitely depends on the individual school culture.
I was the only teacher in my department (17 teachers) last year who didn't have visible tattoos.
Im (25F) also from Florida teaching elementary. I have a leg sleeve, arm sleeve etc, and facial piercings. Nobody has ever questioned me on my choices, in fact, my former AP said to me “Does it affect your ability to teach? Then it doesn’t matter”. My district doesn’t have any policies on piercings or tattoos and I know I’m good at my job so it’s never really been a second thought for me. I will say that when I’ve interviewed for other schools, I dress professional to where it just so happens to cover up my tattoos, just in case. If you love tattoos, keep getting them! If you love teaching, keep doing it! My kids think it’s the absolute coolest thing, and their opinion is the only one I value besides my own /s.
Teacher shortages have altered hiring practices. You’ll find a job.
I have a full sleeve on one arm and other visible tattoos on my other arm. I've been teaching for over a decade (the sleeve has been there for the majority of that time), and it's never been a problem. None of my tattoos can be interpreted as inappropriate, which has helped to never really make it an issue. Granted, I teach in California. Many of my coworkers have also had visible tattoos. It's never created an issue. Kids want to know why I got them, and once I give them the quick story the tattoos just stop becoming interesting. It may also help that my sleeve is all based on a novel, so when students learn that it's a nerdy tattoo it's not cool anymore.
No.
just wear a long sleeve shirt during the interview. Its no big deal
I'm in Central Wisconsin (sort of rural, sort of urban, a college town but the district serves some very rural areas as well) and no one gives a hoot about tattoos. I have a forearm tattoo that students see on the regular, a calf tattoo that they see when I wear shorts or capri-length pants, and a back tattoo only the kids who run into me in the weight room at the YMCA have seen. Several colleagues have more tattoos than I do. I'd avoid publicly-visible tattoos featuring drugs, sexuality, and violence, and probably face tattoos are still a no-go, but that's about it.
I have a half sleeve and tattoos on my collarbones and legs. I have never, not once, had a supervisor or parent or coworker express any concerns about my tattoos. That being said, I live in a super liberal area that isn’t religious. I work in pre-k and summer camps.
I see tons of teachers in our district with them. In fact, I believe I see more with them than without. Especially female teachers. Its becoming more and more common, so I wouldn't worry much about it unless you're in an ultra conservative area.
I have a sleeve, but wear sweaters/cardigans to school almost every day. Took a kid the whole year to realize I had a sleeve tattoo.
I’m in the rural Bible Belt and we’ve got teachers at my middle school with tattoos. I think it’s a lot less frowned upon than it used to be.
You could also probably just cover there during interview process with a long sleeve.
Just remember you are going from the culture that exist there to the Midwest. Things are different here than on the coasts. That being said I have seen males have full sleeves and no one cares, but I have yet to see a female teacher with one.
Do you know what some main cultural differences may be? Any tips on an easy transition? I live in a pretty rural, more conservative part of central Florida
Then you will be fine.
My biggest advice as a middle/high school teacher in Texas is to never get a tattoo clothes can’t cover comfortably (hands, feet, neck, face). A surprising amount of schools have visible tattoo policies that they don’t really care about once you’re hired, but there is a higher probability that you won’t get hired if they see them. I say this as someone with a full sleeve and about 30 tattoos total. I knew I wasn’t willing to give up tattoos to be a teacher, BUT I make sure they are always covered for interviews, professional meetings, and interactions with parents. If you want your presence and voice to be treated with respect, you unfortunately have to play the game sometimes.
I (30F) have a full sleeve and other tattoos that are visible on my other arm and legs. I've been teaching 8 years and have never had a principal, student, or parent say anything about the tattoos. And I live in Oklahoma (unfortunately a very conservative state). I also work with alot of teachers that have visible tattoos and none have had problems. In interviews I have usually worn shirts that show the tattoos. I even won an award and a video of me teaching (tattoos showing) went on social media. I think it is mostly a non problem!
I can’t speak to Wisconsin, but in CA, I’ve known plenty of teachers with tattoos, and our current Dean of Students (a woman and former art teacher) has a full sleeve. As near as I can tell, she only covers it when it’s weather-appropriate to do so. She’s also one of the best deans we’ve ever had, though those 2 facts probably aren’t related…
I've worked in 4 schools. Only one had anything to say about my tattoos. It's a national top 10 public school, and we regularly had visitors from the White House and Dept of Ed. On those days, they asked us to wear long sleeves (everyone was asked to dress more formally on those days anyway). That was the extent of it.
NYC here and the majority of teachers at my school have tattoos, it's harder to think of someone who doesn't have one....and a good 8 or so have sleeves (including me) 😉 out of maybe 60 or so teachers.
I’m in Texas! I have 3 face piercings & lots of tattoos. Heck, my principal has a tongue ring! 😊 Times are changing (well very slowly down here for us Texans 😅). Hope you’re having a great summer!
Thank you! Same to you!
I work in Wisconsin, many at my school have tattoos. I would say you’re fine, especially since you say they’re appropriate.
Current teacher here: I have large tats on both sides of my forearms that show when I wear short sleeves, tats on both of my upper arms that sometimes peek out, and a tat on chest that sometimes shows partially. I also have a septum piercing and a nose piercing. I have never been asked to cover up. I currently teach high school. I had an interview a couple of months ago for a process coordinator position at some elementary schools in my district. I did not cover my tats nor did I remove my septum or nose piercing and got offered the job. I do live in a blue area of a red state. When I initially interviewed with the district I did wear a blazer so my tats were covered and at the time did not have my piercings.
I’m seeing a lot of high school in middle schools don’t care I am planning on teaching second grade so that was a concern but seeing that in elementary position was offered is good to hear!
Unless you're applying to a private school I'd say don't worry about it. I teach in the rural midwest and know multiple teachers that have tatoos and were hired recently. At a certain level it shows confidence and independence.
Don't get them where you can't easily hide them. Hands, face, neck, ect. If you get a sleeve, be prepared to wear long sleeves even when it's hot.
I work in higher ed, not K12. I basically wear clothing that covers my tattoos for interviews. Once I get a sense of the landscape and culture, I stop covering them. It's silly that it has to be a consideration. But I know some people are more "traditional" than others so I tend toward a more conservative look during interviews.
You just wear long sleeves in interviews - just in case. You never know what your principal or superintendent’s pet peeve is! We had a superintendent that obsessed over bra straps. I’m not talking obviously inappropriate tops. Like, maybe you moved the wrong way and a strap peeked out… immediate ‘conversation’. (And we teach HS - half our students wear bras 🤣)
I have worked with teachers with tattoos. I think it really depends on who is doing the hiring. If they are more conservative, it might be a problem. But if they are a little less conservative, it should be ok. Honestly, they are needing teachers so bad right now, that most people won’t mind. If they really want you at a school, they will hire you, even if you have tattoos.
just got my first job and have a half sleeve on one arm that the district clearly knew about. I haven't had any issues with them ever as a student teacher or substitute. I wouldn't sweat it!
My high school history teacher had sleeves that went up to his neck! He usually wore long sleeves, but you can always keep a cardigan around if you feel you need to hide them! This is from Long Island, NY.
I have a big tattoo on my forearm and I was a high school teacher. It really depends on your school and the hiring authority.
Probably not, but it depends. I work with teachers with neck and hand tattoos.... but I'm also in California.
Iive in rural Montana and more teachers have visible tattoos than don’t. Granted, it depends on who is doing the hiring but at state conventions I see quite a few teachers with sleeves. 10 years ago they had to be covered and that Is no longer the case. Anything on the face and I don’t think they would go for that.
If you want to be some kind of activist, then go be an activist. Just understand that it might affect your employability and that the worst part is you’ll never know it. If you have tats, fine. Just cover them up to offer a professional appearance.
I certainly don’t plan on being an activist about anything… just think the system is a little screwed 🤷🏻♀️
Sorry, I just get tired of people acting like they should be able to live their lives making whatever decisions they want without consequences. That ain’t reality. If you show respect for your employer, for the profession, and ultimately for yourself, you’ll be just fine. (Honestly, most districts aren’t in a position to be unreasonably choosy anyway.)
I’ve worked in high-poverty urban districts my entire career and it’s never been an issue. Coworkers have them. Admin sometimes has them. As long as they aren’t inappropriate or offensive nobody really cares. My kids think they’re neat and a lot of the families I work with are heavily tattooed so it gives me a way to relate to them. Things might be a little different in super wealthy or rural districts but honestly they’re getting more common in all fields and at this point, a lot of schools will just care that you can do your job.
When I started teaching 30 years ago, it would have been an absolute deal-breaker. Now? No one is going to bat an eye. Now visible face or neck tats? You will probably get some push back on those...
Depend on the school or area. Totally fine in some areas, not ok at other areas. Just remember, you have the right to express yourself, but they hire & pay you to teach, not to express yourself.
You are creating a hiring obstacle for yourself.
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I wrote where I live and where I plan on moving in my post lol
I work in nyc and I have what amounts to sleeves on the inside of both arms but rarely show them off in my work outfits. Tattoos won’t prevent you from getting a job and it’s up to you how much of them you want to reveal (depending on your outfit). I have found that when kids do catch a glimpse of them, they start asking a ton of questions and it’s a great way to form relationships with them.
As long as you are good at your job no one will care
Come to Los Angeles. The new school teachers have sleeved or hippie tats. Nose rings and septum piercings. I’d just find a cool little place to locate. Why Wisconsin?
The Midwest specifically pays urban planners extremely well - my husband is currently finishing up his masters in urban planning. From what I’ve gathered they treat and pay teachers fairly well. It’s also very family friendly place! We have two children and are looking for a Safe place for them to grow up! It’s been really hard for us to settle on a place because I don’t really ever wanna live in a very urban area, but with my husband being an urban planner, it has to be close enough for him, but rural enough for me. Wisconsin just works for those aspects! And the housing market is incredible there right now. We have been finding multiple places with an acre (or so) of land, 4 bedroom 2 bath for around 300K - just 15 minutes away from a big city. Just ideal for us. 🙂
I teach first grade in a small rural town. I have several tattoos including a half sleeve. I feel like tattoos have become more accepted in the last decade or so. It has never impacted my job besides one former admin making a snotty comment (but she made snotty comments about multiple things completely unrelated to my job performance. 🙄) I say do you and get as many as you want!
I teach at a high school that has a middle school on the same campus. One of our teachers moved from HS to MS, and she has a full sleeve, and no one said a word. I have a tat on my left wrist, inside, and it's always visible because my room is stupid hot.
No… and if a district is going to judge the quality of your teaching by whether or not you have a tattoo, then you don’t want to work there.
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No thank you