Half an hour outside Nashville, the principal of public Grassland Middle School turns heads for his stylish getup. Some days he roams the grounds rocking a bow tie, other days a blazer but no tie at all. He dons cardigans and Converses, vests and Vans, each ensemble accented by a dark scholarly beard that looks dusted with powdered sugar. A stodgier, stiffer breed of his profession might settle for a rotating five-day wardrobe of ill-fitting, drab suits. Not him.
“The kids seem to notice how I dress,” says Kevin Dyson, 45. “So, you know, I’ll mix it up.