Teachers’ Union Slams Alleged Disciplinary Action Against Educator With Tattoo
An educator was threatened with disciplinary action by an Education Ministry official because of a tattoo, Union of Professional Educators President Graham Sansone alleged this morning.
He further criticised the situation for “exposing arbitrary enforcement of outdated standards and contradictions across the public service.”
According to the public service management code “tattoos will need to be adequately covered and not visible. Policies regulating tattoos, which have been approved by the Office of the Principal Permanent Secretary, through the People & Standards Division, shall however, apply.”
Sansone went on to say how other educators within St Ignatius College also display visible tattoos without repercussions highlighting how the enforcement of the rule is neither uniform nor impartial.
The statement shifted the view on other sectors of public service including the Malta Police and the Civil Protection Department. The former of the two bans tattoos only on necks, faces and palms and tattoos elsewhere are permitted if they are non-offensive. The latter allows case-by-case evaluations if tattoos are coverable by uniforms and inoffensive.
“The hypocrisy is undeniable: While police outright prohibit certain tattoo placements, educators are harassed under a nonexistent ministry policy for failing to conceal similar body art. Why are educators held to harsher, vaguer standards than uniformed services?” wrote Sansone.
Sansone went on to ask the Education Ministry on whether the educators with tattoos be penalised for their appearance rather than for their performance. They also asked when the Education Ministry is going to align itself with other public services.
Lovin Malta has reached out to the ministry and is currently awaiting a response.
Are you an educator that has ever been targeted by these “arbitrary standards”? Reach out to [email protected] to share your story
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