Tattooed 2nd Grade Teacher Reveals The Conversation With A Dad That Made Her Realize Teachers ‘Shouldn’t Have Tattoos’
"Inspiration comes from the oddest places!"
DGLimages / Shutterstock After holding parent-teacher conferences, a second-grade teacher came to a self-realization regarding her body art. However, while she started to question her decision to go into teaching after getting tattoos, others online believe that she may actually be inspiring her students rather than negatively impacting them.
The teacher learned that one of her students had been drawing on her arms with markers after noticing her tattoos.
In a TikTok video that has been viewed over 1.2 million times, Hayley, @teachingreallife on TikTok, shared the moment she realized that maybe teachers shouldn't have visible tattoos.
The realization came during parent-teacher conferences when Hayley was approached by a student’s father, who asked if the class had been doing any projects recently involving markers.
When asked why he posed the question, the father told Hayley that his daughter had been coming home with “writing all over her body.”
“He’s like, ‘she’s always drawing hearts on her arm,” Hayley said. That’s when her gaze shifted to the tattoo on her arm, which coincidentally, were flowers composed in the shape of a heart.
The teacher was quickly able to put two and two together and realized that her student was trying to imitate her body art.
The father also mentioned that his little girl had drawn on her ankle. Hayley’s second tattoo is — you guessed it — on her ankle.
“Don’t know where she’s getting these crazy ideas, though!” the teacher said sarcastically.
Now, she is questioning if having tattoos as a teacher gives the wrong message to her students, however, others online argued that Hayley was actually inspiring them.
“She wants to be just like you!” one TikTok user commented.
“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!” another user wrote.
Some argued that a teacher having tattoos does not affect their ability to educate their students in any way and there should be no shame in having them.
“My tattoos don’t teach; I do," one teacher commented. "Nothing wrong with a kid wanting to be more like their teacher."
“I teach kindergarten and have a ton of tattoos. Luckily, no one has complained,” a fourth user shared.
Even if their teachers do not have tattoos, or at least any that are visible to their students, kids will be kids, and they will draw on the walls, furniture, and even on their own skin without being influenced by anyone to do so. They’re simply just experimenting with colors and drawings as all children do.
“I don’t have any tattoos and my students still draw all over themselves,” one teacher revealed.
Although it may have been taboo for a time, tattoos in the workplace are becoming more and more common. Thirty-two percent of Americans have a tattoo, with 22% having more than one.
IvanRiver / Shutterstock
Viewing tattoos as something negative only perpetuates unfair stereotypes and overlooks one’s qualifications and experience. What matters most in a work environment is an individual's competence, dedication, and ability to perform their job effectively — regardless of their appearance.
Getting inked is a personal choice, one that often has deep meaning to some people. It is not our place to frown upon their choices and promote the idea that tattoos are a bad or unprofessional thing.
Should Hayley’s students, or any child for that matter, grow up and decide that they want to be tatted, no one has the right to stop them from creatively expressing themselves. They can have tattoos and still go on to have whatever career they desire — even a teacher.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.