Judging.

Last Tuesday, I interviewed at a private Christian school here in Wasilla. Thanks to help from Chris via Skype, I put together a very nice, professional outfit: black heels, a knee-length gray pencil skirt with a tucked in burnt orange turtleneck, and of course, the recent pink streak in my hair.

Well, I show up at the interview, which was my third of the day, and the principal is cool towards me, at best. Within about five minutes (which was a third of the way through the meeting) she hands me the school handbook and mentions the dress code recorded therein. Ten minutes later, I thank her and we part.

That night, I'm in my room looking over the handbook she gave me. And indeed, I find the dress code.

I had broken EVERY single rule they had, from my shoes to my hair and literally everything in-between.

Shoes were to be closed toed... and mine were not.
Panty-hoes or tights were to be worn... and I was not.
Skirts were to cover your knees at all times, even when sitting... and mine did not.
Skirts also could not have slits in them... and mine did.
Girls could not wear turtleneck, unless they were under a sweater... and mine was not.
And hair could not be unnaturally colored... and mine was.

Oops.
Needless to say, I don't think she'll be calling me back.

But it's interesting. I feel that, based on that dress code alone, they miss the potential for some great teachers to work at their school. I left the interview feeling a little bit judged and inadequate, especially after reading the handbook later. But at the same time, I thought it was insanely ridiculous and funny. To be judged by something like the pink streak in my hair, put there in honor of women I know who have survived breast cancer... insensitive.

And then I think, how many times do I do that to other people - Judge them by how they look? Or talk? Or smell?