Alliance Action NOW
August 28, 2007
An e-newsletter of the San Antonio Alliance of Teachers & Support Personnel
Affiliated with TSTA/NEA, AFT, and the AFL-CIO
In this edition:
• Health insurance enrollment deadline approaches
•
Survey on District professional development conference
•
SAISD employee dress code
•
Editorial regarding employee dress
• Join the Alliance family!
Health insurance enrollment deadline approaches
Enroll by September 9th
Remember that you if you want to make changes to your existing health insurance plan, such as adding dependents or
changing plans, you must do so by midnight on Sunday, September 9. Enrollment is done online only. If you do not
have computer access and/or would like assistance with enrollment, the District is providing multiple opportunities to enroll
with assistance from Aetna reps and SAISD Employee Benefits staff as follows:
f Daily, Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at SAISD Employee Benefits & Risk Management
f Aug. 28, Edison library, 2-6 p.m.
f Aug. 29, Fox Tech library, 2-6 p.m.
f Aug. 30, Houston library, 2-6 p.m.
f Aug. 31, Jefferson, Rm. 110, 2-6 p.m.
f Sept. 4, Lanier, General Office Center, 2-6 p.m.
f Sept. 5, Burbank, Rm. 107, 2-6 p.m.
f Sept. 6, Brackenridge HS library, 2-6 p.m.
f Sept. 7, Highlands library, 2-5 p.m.
f Sept. 8 (Sat.), Employee Benefits & Risk Management Office, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
f Sept. 9 (Sun.), Employee Benefits & Risk Management Office, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Several people have requested that the Alliance put out a narrative summary of each plan, which we will have ready and
posted on our website this week.
Survey on District professional development conference
Send us your questions
The Alliance would like to get feedback regarding the professional development conference that the District held August
17, 20, and 21. Please email your ideas for questions to [email protected]. We hope to have the survey ready to post
early next week.
Convocation survey still posted
Last week, we gave employees an opportunity to provide feedback regarding the District’s back-to-school convocation.
So far, 221 people have provided a wide variety of feedback. We'd like to hear yours! Click here: AFT LeaderNet: Online
Survey Creator -
SAISD employee dress code
According to SAISD Board Policy DH (Local), the dress code for employees is as follows: "The dress and grooming of
District employees shall be clean, neat, in a manner appropriate for their assignments, and in accordance with any
additional standards established by their supervisors and approved by the Superintendent." [italics added]
The Alliance has heard from a few sites at which dress code has become an issue because of standards their principals
are trying to impose. At those sites, we are recommending that the Alliance Rep(s) and members work with their Alliance
Organizer to develop a plan of action to address the concerns.
Editorial regarding employee dress
From Alliance President, Shelley Potter
(Those of you who have been reading the Alliance Action NOW for some time know that it is extremely rare for me to write an opinion column. I never
do so lightly. This opinion column is about employee dress. It is my personal opinion and not an official position taken by the Alliance. Some of you will
agree with it; some of you will not. Hopefully, it will stimulate discussion and dialogue. If you have a differing opinion, please feel free to send it to me
via email or US mail. We will include some responses in upcoming e-newsletters and will include some on our Alliance website. Please specify in your
response whether you wish to be identified or remain anonymous.)
Every few years, the administration in the District seems to think it important to “tighten up” employee dress regulations.
Employees line up on both sides of the issue and spend considerable time and energy debating whatever the proposed
regulations are. The highest number of responses that the Alliance has ever received on a survey was on a dress code
survey a few years back. Should Capri pants be allowed? How about open-back sandals or thong sandals (I have some
very dressy ones)? Should any sort of jeans be allowed? Should collars be required on shirts? Should tennis shoes be
banned? And on and on.
I believe our current SAISD policy is adequate. But it requires some common sense and some self-monitoring. Let’s look
at the words in the policy – “clean, neat, and in a manner appropriate for their assignment.” The Webster definition of
“neat” is “free from dirt or disorder”. Looking at antonyms can also be helpful. The opposite of “neat” is “sloppy” or
“slovenly” meaning “untidy”. “Disheveled” and “unkempt” are also antonyms. “Appropriate” means “especially suitable”,
“satisfying propriety”, “proper”.
I believe the current policy, with the phrase “appropriate for their assignment”, gives the flexibility necessary for the
various types of situations in which our employees work. We are each aware of the demands of our particular job, and
the dress necessary to meet those demands may be very different. I did not wear high heels and suits when I was
teaching first grade because I did not feel I could meet the demands of my job when dressed in that manner. I wanted to
be able to sit in little chairs and on the floor to be able to best interact with my students. And I wanted to be able to
engage with some of their rather messy learning activities without the distraction of worrying about whether I was going to
ruin an expensive outfit.
But the flexibility in the policy may also be used by some to stretch the limits. And everyone does not have the same
interpretation of “appropriate”. How tight is too tight? How low cut is too low cut? (My 11-year-old daughter’s definition
here is whether a woman’s “line” is showing.) This is where we need, as a profession, to self-monitor. If we cannot or will
not, then others will set stricter regulations and monitor us (read that “police us”).
One final thought – a teacher friend years ago counseled me that when we dress for our job, we are not just dressing for
ourselves. We set the tone for student dress. My friend also pointed out that to the parents and community, we represent
not just ourselves but also our school, our district, and our very profession. So when we look in the mirror tomorrow
morning, we might ask ourselves, "How well am I representing my school, my district, my profession?".
Join the Alliance Family
For a membership form, see your Alliance Rep or click here:
http://www.sanantonioalliance.org/Documents/MembershipForm_2007-08.pdf
Just complete the form and return it to the Alliance office via "pony" mail or via US Mail to San Antonio Alliance, 120
Adams St, SA, 78210.
(Under the Alliance by-laws, any SAISD non-administrative employee or other non-administrative individual whose position is directly or indirectly funded
by SAISD is eligible for membership in the Alliance. Individuals who are employed at the level of assistant principal and above, and individuals who are
employed at the level of assistant director and above are excluded from membership.)
TOGETHER, WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE!