Friday, October 31, 2008

Ink

Cities and school districts across the country are forcing their employees to cover up tattoos if they want to keep their jobs.

The edicts have been issued to maintain a good image, say the communities, and they have been applied to teachers, janitors, firefighters and others.

"We didn't want to offend some people in the community," says Capt. Armando Hogan, spokesman for the Los Angeles City Fire Department, where employees were ordered last spring to cover all tattoos while on duty. "I have been on drills and on scene where someone has said, 'I wouldn't want that person working on me,' and we've had to educate the individual who made the comment."

Among the cities:

• Bountiful, Utah, decided in August that new employees must not show any tattoos.

• The Pasco County School Board in Florida has ordered employees to hide "offensive" tattoos.

• In Missouri, the Joplin School Board will vote on a no-visible-tattoo policy this year.

The orders to cover up have been growing as tattoos become more popular, especially tattoos on the face, neck, hands and fingers. Some workers feel the policy is unfair.

"We don't allow discrimination based on skin color, yet we came up with a policy that discriminated against people with color on their skin," says Steve Tufts, president of the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City.

Joplin Schools Superintendent C.J. Huff says students are getting teaching degrees, getting tattoos, and then applying for jobs. "We're saying before you get a tattoo, you have to think about how big it is and where it's located before you think about getting a job in our school district," he says.

The rule in Bountiful was passed after applicants with hard-to-conceal tattoos showed up for interviews for jobs in the police, streets and sanitation departments. City Manager Tom Hardy says city leaders had to decide: "Either we're going to do nothing about it, or we're going to do something about it."

In each community, officials cite the exploding popularity of tattoos.

Bob Baxter, editor in chief of Skin & Ink magazine, agrees with the restrictive policies. Baxter says neck and face tattoos used to appear only on heavily tattooed people who ran out of space.

"What's happening (now) is that a lot of young people figure that the best way to show that 'I'm in the tattoo community' is to get tattoos in very conspicuous places," Baxter says. "I don't think it's a good idea. It's hard to get work."


Comment: (ones I found most interesting)


"I think covering up tattoos (especially on face, neck, arms) is a good idea in the work place. While I don't encourage discrimination against those who choose to get inked (except with idiotic pieces) I do think that the non-inked individuals have a more professional look than their tattooed counterparts. Those who are upset over not getting jobs due to their tattoos obviously didn't think the tat through well enough. I have 6 tattoos (some are decently sized) and, when wearing office clothes or scrubs (as I do at work) nobody would ever know I have tattoos. It's all about being inconspicuous with the placement....

So, if you're stupid enough to tattoo your face, arms, or neck, sorry....you did it to yourself."

"I am a student teacher at the moment, and I have 4 tattoos. I got them where they can be easily hidden, and I thought about my professional future when I got them. I thought to myself, "Will these impede me professionally?" Tattoos are perfectly acceptable in a professional setting as long as they are not seen. I wouldn't want to work with a teacher who decided it would be a good idea to get a full sleeve of tattoos and then decide to work with children. Mine are never seen by my students, nor will they ever."

"
For those of you who have said that people with tattoos are "white trash" or "going to only get jobs at Burger King" etc.....I am 40 years old. I am a Registered Nurse Manager and my income is slightly under 100K. I live in California, and have four tattoos. For all of you who commented on how "nasty" they can be....one does happen to be on the back of my neck. All of them are tasteful, flowers or such, and I have never been asked to leave a job. I have NEVER had a patient ask that I not care for them, or have them think I couldnt care for them because I have a tattoo. I am college educated and actually didnt get my first tattoo until well into my thirties. Personal choice people."

"I have several tats. I work in a nursing home, where I am required to cover them while in scrubs. Most of mine are covered by my clothes, I do have one on my wrist which I have to wear a braclet to cover. While I understand the need for me to cover them because of the generation views, I do not feel it is right to lable people just because they have a tat. I do not see Angelina Jolie having a hard time getting movie roles because she has tats. Nor do I see her getting any pay cuts. People need to look at the ENTIRE nation, not just a few jobs when putting lables on tats. I am willing to bet that a few of the political leaders have tats, that are covered. You can not say that just because someone has a tattoo it means they are in a gang or want to be. People do it for many different reasons. Everyone does it for a reason, some cultures do it as a sign of respect for a passing loved one. Piercings are a good example of this. I have a very good friend who has several piercings, and she is Indian. It is part of her culture. I think that it is something that should be accepted as part of who a person is. I do not see people looking down on someone for putting hair dye in their hair or perming it. Changing ones appearence to what makes them happy should not matter to anyone but that person. This country has developed a serious problem of judging others, when no one has the right to judge anyone."

Read the article on the USA Today page for more of the comments.

Now my opinion:

Many of the comments are very dogmatic towards people with tattoos. One of the comments said that people are not allowed to discriminate against people with different skin color so why should they discriminate against people with tattoos. That is crossing the line. Skin color is something you are born with, It's not something that you choose. NOT that having a different skin color is something that you should be ashamed of. Tattoos are a choice, You choose to have that on your body. I don't like full body tattoos. But I don't think people are freaks because they have them. I do not believe that obscene tattoos should be displayed that is along the lines of public exposure or cursing in front of children some people choose not to be exposed to that, Why force it down their throat. They have made a choice and people should respect that. Just as people with tattoos have made a choice to have them. You want to have a obscene tattoo. Go for it but don't flash it around. Obscene tattoos are like obscene clothing. It is simply in bad taste. Would I hire someone with full body tattoos? Well I don't classify people by that but if they had a tattoo on their forehead that said loser I might have to consider it. ;) I would not allow an employee with a obscene tattoo to display them while they are on duty.




Friday, October 10, 2008

Out With the Old In With the New

What do you think about the new template. Now be honest! I know there are some people out there who hate purple. I really not a huge purple fan but I think it this template is fun. So vote do you like it or hate it?

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Yes or No

YES/NO GAME RULES ARE AS FOLLOWS:

You can only say yes or no. You are NOT ALLOWED to explain ANYTHING unless someone messages you and asks!

Over 18? Yes
Danced in front of your mirror naked? Yes
Ever told a lie? Yes
Been arrested? No
Kissed a picture? Yes
Fallen asleep at work/school? Yes
Held an actual snake? Yes
Ever run a red light? Yes
Ever drink and drive? No
Been suspended from school? No
Ever been fired from a job? No
Totaled a car/motorbike in an accident? No
Sang karaoke? Yes
Done something you told yourself you wouldn’t? Yes
Laughed until something you were drinking came out your nose? Yes
Ever laughed until you wet yourself? No
Caught a snowflake on your tongue? Yes
Kissed in the rain? No
Sang in the shower? Yes
Sat on a rooftop? Yes
Thought about your past with regret? Yes
Been pushed in the pool with your clothes on? Yes
Shaved your head? No
Blacked out from drinking? No
Had a gym membership? Yes
Been in a band? No
Shot a gun? Yes
Liked someone with nobody else knowing about it? Yes
Played strip poker? No
Been to a strip joint? No
Donated Blood? No
Liked someone you shouldn’t? Yes
Have a tattoo? No
Have or had any piercings besides ears? No
Made out with a complete stranger? No
Caught someone cheating on you? No
Skinny dipped? Yes
Regret any of your ex’s? Yes
Been to a rodeo? Yes
Been to a NASCAR race? No
Been in Love? Yes

Half of those should have a blush after them!

If you want to play feel free to!