No More Teachers' Dirty Looks

The Birmingham Board of Education is considering a new dress code policy - for teachers and staff.

Superintendent Wayman B. Shiver Jr. said the situation has reached a point at some schools where it's hard to tell the teachers from the students. He has seen more staff midriffs than he can count, and scanned scores of strapless and see-through numbers.

"We've got the same people trying to enforce the student code of conduct relative to dress when they themselves are not modeling good taste," he said. "There are lots of complaints from the community."

At least one teachers union representative - a man, of course - doesn't seem to mind a little sluttiness in the workplace, and is pledging a fight.

The proposed policy leaves a lot of room for interpretation, said Birmingham Alabama Education Association representative Jeff McDaniels. "How do you define excessively tight?" he asked.

McDaniels said the proposed policy is a violation of First Amendment rights. If the school board were to fire an employee for noncompliance, he said, lawsuits would surely follow. "We'll fight that with everything we have legally."

Hmmm...be careful what you ask for, Mr. McDaniels.