Role model for our charges?
Now Playing: Aimee Mann: driving sideways
In school today we received the most pompous announcement I have ever seen. "Staff should maintain a reasonable standard of dress. Remember that we are role models for our young charges."

Some confusion between "role model" and "fashion plate" here I think. I imagine my pupils turning up with clothing like mine. I shudder.

This evening I received an email from a member at the other end of the county who has received the same pompous message so perhaps this originates with West Sussex or the government :)

This is absurd. In the first place no teacher in the school dresses in a remotely outrageous way (T shirts with unedited comments about colleagues for example!)

More importantly if my pupils learn nothing else from me they learn "no role models." There are several reasons for this but the main one is that they ought to be thinking for themselves.

Another reason is exemplified by one of my sons. He admired the unlikely triumvirate of Che Guevara, Bob Marley and American comedian Bill Hicks. These were all dead and could therefore not betray. Any living role model can betray. Don't have any. Think for yourself

To quote The Life of Brian
Brian: "You are all different."
Chorus: "Yes master we're all different"
lone voice: "I'm not!"