Back in 2009, this writer was in grad school and expecting her second child. He was born in late August and this writer went back to class eleven days later. It's hard, and was probably something for which she should have taken more time off.
Live and learn, we guess.
Right now, Georgetown Law is in hot water because it denied exam accommodations for a pregnant student who is due to give birth during exams. Her classmates -- also law students -- are speaking out:
Georgetown Law has told a pregnant student whose baby is due during exams that she must take the test a few days postpartum, with baby in tow.
— Leah Libresco Sargeant (@LeahLibresco) November 22, 2024
No early or remote exam since “it would be inequitable to all the other non-birthing students in her class.”https://t.co/1neZtHxaem
The statement reads:
Georgetown Law suggested Brittany bring her days-old child to campus a few days after birth, with minimal recovery, to take the exam with more time so she can breastfeed her newborn baby during the exam. They told her, "Motherhood is not for the Faint of Heart."
Title IX prohibits education institutions from discriminating against students based on sex, including current, potential, or past pregnancy or related conditions. An accommodation is not unreasonable and must be offered by the school unless it "fundamentally alters" the nature of its program.
Georgetown Law has a legal and moral duty to support pregnant students during the regular school year or finals.
The school argues it's not 'fair' to the 'non-birthing' class members to provide these accommodations to Brittany. Would it be 'unfair' to offer accommodations to a student with another disability because he has 'non-disabled' classmates?
If we want to create an environment where women can be mothers and have careers or pursue education, we need to encourage places like Georgetown to make reasonable accommodations for postpartum mothers. And we need to put pressure on them to do so.
It also seems to be a problem for disabled students, who have been denied accommodations, too, according to this:
Want to highlight that per this GULC student the professor is not the obstacle:https://t.co/i5vkmyLKmM
— Leah Libresco Sargeant (@LeahLibresco) November 22, 2024
The exam should be up to the professor.
It seems like the school is choosing to be punitive to a woman simply because she is having a baby. Since when is punishing mothers for becoming parents conducive to a strong and functional society?
— 𝔽𝕣𝕠𝕫𝕖𝕟𝔹𝕖𝕝𝕝𝕖 🇨🇦 (@frozen_belle) November 22, 2024
She is wiling to actually make it HARDER for herself by taking the exams early,…
This writer is going to cynically guess that if Brittany was having an abortion in December, the school would be accommodating.
…how is offering to take the exam early “inequitable” to others? This is absurd
— Maggie Howell (@Mar__G_3) November 22, 2024
It is absurd and not at all 'inequitable.'
Where is the @NAACP_LDF? Brittany is an NAACP LDF Scholar. They should pick up the phone and call Georgetown for blatant discrimination against women (reminder, only women can have babies and need accommodations to have equal opportunities). They would make the phone call, I…
— May Mailman (@MayMailman) November 22, 2024
They should. We suspect phone calls will be made now that this story is getting traction.
I’m not Catholic but would expect a residually Catholic institution to do better.
— Scott McConnell (@ScottMcConnell9) November 22, 2024
Spoiler alert: the do not do better. That baby this writer had in 2009? She was fired from a job with a Catholic organization for being pregnant.
So it happens.
“non-birthing” really says it all
— Helen Roy (@helen_of_roy) November 22, 2024
It sure does.
I’m 39 weeks pregnant and nearing final exams/papers in my MPP at @CatholicUniv.
— Emma Waters (@emlwaters) November 22, 2024
I’m beyond grateful for a pro-family program that offered, even before I asked, to work with me to ensure I had the support and flexibility I needed to care for my child and succeed academically. https://t.co/Dor4SBVFWb
That's how it should be.
Liberals Conservatives
— Annie Chiang (@realAnnieChiang) November 22, 2024
🤝🏻
Hating on whatever it is
@GeorgetownLaw
thinks it’s doing here https://t.co/Pewusc4iHk
This made us chuckle.
Being made aware of the situation, the @GeorgetownLaw faculty are rallying to her defense. https://t.co/yrULbKf6xt
— Randy Barnett (@RandyEBarnett) November 22, 2024
The people who Georgetown said would be on the receiving end of some 'inequality' if Brittany took the exam early are saying they're not.
If she said she was distressed by Trump's victory she might have gotten more sympathy. https://t.co/m4Cth9t0LR
— Holden (@Holden114) November 22, 2024
Probably.
Something tells me they wouldn’t have said this if she was a few days post abortion. https://t.co/wHDyhbKVqC
— Bethany S. Mandel (@bethanyshondark) November 22, 2024
Oh, look: exactly what we said.
Great minds think alike.
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