Got ink? Teachers and staff around GM share the message behind their tattoos, ranging from feathers to bulldogs to family member’s portraits.
When English teacher Mr. Peter Laub went back to graduate school, he got a tattoo to represent how he was making a huge career and life change. He was originally studying to be a journalist, but decided to go on the education path instead. The tattoo, which is black with some red highlights, was designed by one of his friends.
The skeleton lies on a book because he loves to read. On the side of the book are the words, “The Future is Unwritten” in cursive, lyrics from an album by The Clash. “I chose those words because I don’t believe in fate or destiny,” said Laub.
Getting a tattoo was something on History and AP government teacher Ms. Rebecca Eisenberg’s bucket list. After waiting until she was 32, she got a feather tattoo on her wrist.
Ms. Eisenberg liked the freedom that birds represent. “I just like the fact that birds can go wherever and do whatever [they want].” said Ms. Eisenberg.
The tattoo is on her wrist because she knew she could hide it there, using her watch.
“When you are a public school teacher, you want to portray yourself in a respectable fashion…
for me I don’t want to be judged based off a tattoo I may or may not have…like in an interview.” said Eisenberg.
Officer James Williams, a security guard who works at the front desk of GM, has 8 tattoos that represent different people in his life.
After losing his grandmother in 1994 Williams got a tattoo of a cross. “My cross represents my grandmother, she was the best thing that happened to me,” said Williams.
Three years ago, Williams lost his son. In memory of his son, Williams got a tattoo of his face. “The portrait is of my son, who passed away three years ago from cancer,” said Williams.
The tragic death was devastating to Williams and he wanted to keep his son’s memory close, which resulted in the child’s’ portrait on his arm.
The tattoos of his family members are reminders of their memory, and the love and support they gave to him.
GM principal Tyrone Byrd has eight tattoos, each representing different memories from his life including multiple tattoos that represent his college and his fraternity. For him, tattoos are representations of exciting events he has experienced.
“I have my wife and daughter’s names on my chest,” said Byrd. He also has a tattoo of a bulldog, to represent his college fraternity, and the number three because he was third in line to pledge to his fraternity.
“I think it’s a way to celebrate things in your life, they serve as reminders,” said Byrd.
Despite the vast array of pictures and images that make up tattoos our teachers have, all of them resemble personal importance and symbolism that often serve as reminders and representations of the past.
