It was good to see the faces of four of the five Arlington School Board members (and the superintendent) at their March 10 board meeting, following two years of, first, viewing them from their homes in “virtual” meetings, and then, having them masked up for the past few months.
But now we turn to a piece of etiquette that the male board members (and, sometimes, the superintendent) seem unaware of. When on the dais at an official meeting, they should be wearing a jacket and tie.
Formality, even in such a limited sense, might seem old-fashioned to some.
But being appropriately attired is a sign of respect both for the job an elected official holds, and the public one represents. It’s all about situational awareness, acting appropriately as circumstances dictate.
And for the record, this is not, exclusively, an issue confined to the School Board. We noted one County Board member with tie but sans jacket for a good chunk of Saturday’s board meeting. His colleagues were appropriately attired, as was County Manager Mark Schwartz.
Being nicely coutured is perhaps the least these leaders can do, considering they’re about the plunder county homeowners’ bank accounts once again to pay for all those bright and shiny objects the local government seemingly can’t do without.
Sheesh: Arlington is not a Florida beach town, where flip-flops and Hawaiian shirts suffice for elected officials. Let’s have some self-awareness … and respect for the public that is being served.