Teachers’ union president urges board to keep district dress code 'smart casual'
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Summary
Kizzy Mollering, president of the MPA, told the board the union strongly supports retaining a 'smart casual' dress code that allows jeans, saying members reported improved morale and practical benefits for classroom management.
Kizzy Mollering, president of the MPA and a district educator, urged the North Platte Public Schools Board of Education to maintain the district’s staff dress policy as "smart casual," including allowing jeans.
Mollering said a survey of MPA members showed strong support for the current dress code: "A 100% of our members felt that changing the dress code ... has been a positive change and no members disagreed with this," she told the board. She also said 97% of members reported the change improved the work environment.
Mollering described practical reasons teachers prefer the flexibility: jeans make it easier to sit on the floor with students or help during hands-on activities, she said. One teacher quoted in Mollering’s remarks said jeans improved morale and created a modest nonfinancial benefit to staff.
"Empowering educators is a key," Mollering said, urging the board to "support continuing our dress code as it is based off of what [the members] are speaking on behalf of." She said maintaining the dress code signals trust and support for teachers.
The board did not take action on the dress code at the meeting; the presentation was part of the public-comment and stakeholder-input portion of the agenda.
Ending: Mollering thanked the board for considering staff opinion; board members heard the comments and did not immediately change policy.
