By Ronda Watson Barber
OhioMBE Publisher
Columbus City Schools is a dumpster fire. It’s a hot mess. The Dept. Education released the state report card yesterday. The state’s largest public school district received dismal grades. The CCS is steeped in failures. Most of the failures steem from Operations. They can’t get kids to and from school safely on time. Building conditions are horrible. Someone recently told a contractor to plaster over mold in a building. They refused. I sent pictures of broken concrete at East High to the Board President. Black vendors aren’t receiving equitable treatment in contracting. The district still institutes a restrictive vendor registration process that is designed to keep “undesirables” out of the purchasing process. The list of imcomptence goes on and on.
I have noticed another trend in the district—the staff’s lack of professional dress. I continue to observe white staff members at work, collecting a nice salary with stellar benefits, who look like they are heading to their local Walmart. They are dressed sloppy. They dress like they don’t care. They are wearing leggings and tunics. I saw one guy donning a sweatsuit. The disrespect for the stakeholders they serve is blaring. The message it sends is that these are just poor Black folks; why bother to get dressed to come to work? Would they dress so informally if Olentangy School District or New Albany Schools employed them?
Angela Chapman needs to institute a dress code immediately. It is a matter of RESPECT. It’s about holding the people you serve in high regard. A dress code for staff in educational settings has multiple benefits, both for the employees and the institution. Students and their parents should engage with professionals. Professionals dress the part. They don’t come to work looking like they just left their gardens. Those employed by the district should consider themselves role models. Children are watching. Perhpas interactions with students and their families would differ if staff presented themselves professionally.
The poor Black children in Columbus City Schools are subsidizing the lifestyles of the suburbs. The recipients of those riches should conduct themselves respectfully and professionally while working for Columbus City Schools, that includes coming to work in business attire.
Your clothing speaks long before you do~Kalyani Kamble
just my thoughts…rwb
