Tattoos have been around for thousands of years, having historical value and deep meaning to those who get them. 

According to The Worldwide History of Tattoos, “Ancient Siberian nomads, Indigenous Polynesians, Nubians, Native South Americans and Greeks all used tattoos—and for a variety of reasons: to protect from evil; declare love; signify status or religious beliefs; as adornments and even forms of punishment.”

According to a study by the Pew Research Center, 32% of people in the United States have at least one tattoo. Many of those people share common motivations, such as honoring or in memory of someone or something. 

According to a Johns Hopkins study mentioned by the Roxbury review, some studies have estimated that 10% to 23% of teenagers have tattoos. More than 50% have said they’re interested in getting one.

Some parents seem to be all for teens getting tattoos, and others seem to doubt the irreversible body modification. Bartleby Research argues that teenagers should not be allowed to get tattoos without parental consent because the decision can be immature, dangerous, or even lead to job restrictions. 

IJag teacher Emily Sipp has tattoos and has opinions on teens getting inked. 

“That’s a gray area for me on the one hand, your body, your choice,” Sipp said. “On the other hand, we know research shows that teens’ frontal lobes are not developed yet to make important decisions.”

According to the National Library of Medicine, “Executive functions are a set of supervisory cognitive skills needed for goal-directed behavior, including planning, response inhibition, working memory, and attention. These skills allow an individual to pause long enough to take stock of a situation, assess his or her options, plan a course of action, and execute it. Poor executive functioning leads to difficulty with planning, attention, using feedback, and mental inflexibility, all of which could undermine judgment and decision making.”

World History teacher Heather Kelso, who has tattoos, believes teens should think hard about the tattoos they get. 

“As someone who has changed their mind a few times before 18, I don’t think teens should (get tattoos), Kelso said. “You’re still discovering who you are, and to put something so permanent on your body is so risky.”

IJag teacher, Emily Sipp, says her favorite tattoo is the one on her forearm. 

“My ‘I dissent’ for sure (is my favorite tattoo) because it is a tribute to Ruth Bader Ginsburg when she passed away, because she was a trailblazer for women’s rights.”

History/Sociology teacher, Anita Tucker, has a variety of tattoos. 

“The one I have on my right shoulder is a sun,” Tucker said. “My twin sister has the moon. On my left shoulder is the one from prom.”

Tucker has a tattoo of her twin sister, her best friend, and herself from the prom, in memory of her best friend, who died of cancer. 

“On my right wrist, I have yellow birds from my grandpa. He would always call us little ducks and sing songs about yellow birds.” 

Tucker said. “I have one on my right ankle from ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’ and the song played at my grandma’s funeral.”