Definitely not holiday vests

Elementary schools in New York look funny. Most of them are colorfully decorated with kids' artwork everywhere, just like schools in most places. And they've all got cute kids with Hannah Montana backpacks.

But instead of wearing denim vests and broom skirts, the teaching staff is usually dressed in black. 

I guess it's not surprising, considering New Yorkers in general wear a lot of black. Why should elementary school teachers be any different? Some days I'll be wearing gray jeans, black boots, and a black sweater while my co-teacher is wearing a black dress, gray tights, and black boots. 

I mean, I'd like to think we look hip, but maybe we just seem ironic when we burst out into singing the "find your seat" song.

I visited another school today, in a black dress, where most everyone else had variations of black and gray on. The last class I visited was math in kindergarten. They were learning what a nickel is. Sure enough, the teacher topped us all: black shirt, black pants, black socks, black shoes. And this is even St. Patrick's Day. Not a button or vest in sight.