The internet is all buzz today over an elementary school teacher’s outfit choice.
Like many young millennial women Patrice “Paris Monroe” Brown likes to post the occasional #OOTD, or outfit of the day, picture to her Instagram account. I mean hey, if you’re feeling your look, flaunt it. #slay
Brown, a 4th grade teacher in Atlanta, GA, has caught the internet’s attention, and unending judgement, with a few of her back to school looks since classes began 2 weeks ago. Parents across the country are voicing their opinions on her outfits, many saying they are inappropriate for the classroom. Sadly,Twitter and Instagram have chosen to focus on her assets rather than her accolades: Brown won ‘Educator of the Month’ just last week.
Here are a few of the G-rated comments on her Instagram (unfortunately, there weren’t many to choose from):
While I sympathize with her supporters, I’m a little uneasy in lending my support. How can she successfully chase around 8 & 9 year olds in a skin tight body con dress and pumps?! It sounds like my personal nightmare. Truth be told, I redefine the word ‘clumsy’. I trip and fall on my face on a pretty regular basis, my appendages are covered in random scratches and scars, I’ve been concussed more than I care to mention, and I’ve had stitches on my face twice. At this point, I’m seriously considering entitling my memoirs ‘How’d I get that Bruise: An Autobiography’. Wrangling elementary aged kiddos is not for the faint of heart, I admire you, and your colleagues deeply, Miss Brown. Your outfit choice isn’t inappropriate, in my opinion, it just doesn’t seem befitting of the duties of an elementary school teacher. If you can tell me that you can effectively monitor recess in that, well then, blow me down. Bodycon dresses in the workplace are nothing new, I see girls in my office wear them all the time, even pregnant women (which makes me a whole lot of uncomfortable, but that’s a different discussion for another time). You do look great, and full disclosure: I wish I had your curves so I could pull off something comparable.
What is inappropriate, though, is your public social media presence. You’re a curvy woman, said curves are going to show in most outfits you choose, that’s the unavoidable, plain and simple truth. Celebrate them, accentuate them, be you. Tasteless, cleavage focused pictures and endless amounts of selfies, however, those don’t send the best message to your students. Private accounts are one thing, do what you want with that real estate, but to broadcast this material to a public account with more than 100k followers with the byline that says you’re a teacher? It’s unprofessional. I have a huge problem with the shameless narcissism of my generation, and an even bigger problem with a teacher perpetuating it to her students. Young men and women look up to you, Miss Brown, and by teaching them the way to get attention is by sharing sexualized images for figurative ‘likes’ and comments, you’re doing irreparable harm to their developing sense of self and self-worth. By all means, teaching students to be comfortable and proud in their own skin is of the utmost importance, yet, I feel there is a better way than sharing overly exaggerated, sweaty videos of your bouncing bosom with your face cropped out. Maybe that’s just me.
