20/11/2024
"Dear We Are Teachers,
I’ve been teaching for five years at the same large high school, and almost on a daily basis I get confused for a student. Despite the fact that I wear an I.D. on a lanyard every day, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked for my hall pass when I’m in the hallway, been told to leave the faculty lounge because it’s for teachers only, or had the school SRO chase me down for leaving early in my car. It was funny for the first year or so, but now it just chips away at my self-esteem. What can I do to stop being mistaken for a teenager?"
Advice from Kelly Treleaven, our column writer : Well, bummer. I’m sorry this is happening.
To be clear, this is not your fault. I had a friend with this issue, and fellow teachers’ advice automatically jumped to “Maybe stop wearing your hair like the kids do,” or “Try dressing more professional.” I’m not going to suggest that. Plenty of teachers wear jeans and have trendy hairstyles. No one tells them to make big changes to their hair or wardrobe.
I do have one suggestion that may help: a blazer. You can throw it on when you’re in the hallway, it goes with everything, and very few high school students in the U.S. are wearing them.
Apart from that, I think your best bet is asking your principal if you can do an all-faculty email blast or take a minute of the next faculty meeting. Keep it light, but explain that getting mistaken for a student can be really jarring, especially when you get yelled at. Request that teachers take a beat before demanding to see your hall pass or accuse you of skipping. If you feel comfortable, you can even include a “High school student or Ms. Hopkins?” slide series on how to tell the difference! Humor can go a long way in connecting with your fellow faculty and staff.
👇️ Any other advice you'd share?
