Breast may be best, but teachers don’t have the right to pump at work in many states - The Washington Post:
Breast may be best, but teachers don’t have the right to pump at work in many states
All Anna Johnson-Smith wanted was some time each afternoon to pump breast milk for her infant. But when she returned to work as a kindergarten teacher in Marlin, Tex., her principal denied her request, putting her in the position of choosing between her child and her career.
Two weeks into the school year, she quit. Since then, she has joined the ranks of current and former teachers in multiple states — including Texas, Virginia, Florida, Nebraska and Utah — who are advocating for the right to pump at work, seeking to close a loophole that leaves teachers and other salaried workers unprotected under federal law.
“A 15-minute break was all I was asking for,” said Johnson-Smith, now a stay-at-home mother and the owner of a photography studio. “We’ve come so far in our society in so many ways, and here in 2015, we’re still fighting for the right to provide breast milk for our babies.”
Breastfeeding rates are on the rise in the United States, perhaps at least partly because of the federal government’s efforts to educate the public about the health benefits of breast milk. Breastfeeding protects babies from ear infections and other illnesses, according to the surgeon general, and children who are breastfed for at least six months are less likely to become obese. Mothers who breastfeed are less likely to suffer from breast or ovarian cancer.
With more than half of the nation’s mothers with infants working outside the home, that advice has led many women to try to pump on the job.
Anna Johnson-Smith left her teaching job in Texas because she couldn’t get time to pump at school. She is seen here, second from right, with her husband John Smith and their family, from left, Lily, 3, Gracie, 12, Bradley, 16, Sadie, 1, held by Ethan,14, Thomas, 7, and Colby, 13, at right. (William Galbreath/Family photo)While pumping at work is a hassle for many women, for teachers, it can feel nearly impossible. Privacy is scant in a school building full of children, and classroom schedules are busy and inflexible. It is difficult to find a spare moment to run to the restroom, let alone enough time to pump.
Some teachers lean on colleagues or aides who are willing to cover their classrooms while they take refuge in a supply closet or an empty office. Some teacherse pump at their desks during planning periods or lunchtimes, hoping that students and staff members observe the do-not-disturb sign on the door. Some work for principals who do their best to make the logistics easy.
