Teacher Sues California School District Over Breastfeeding

November 15, 2012

A former Carmel school teacher accuses school officials in a lawsuit of failing to accommodate her breastfeeding schedule.

The Monterey Herald reported that Sarah Ann Lewis Boyle has sued the Carmelo School, where she worked, and the Carmel Unified School District, alleging discrimination and wrongful termination.

The lawsuit was filed on Oct. 30.

Boyle says before returning to work, she told a manager at the school that she would need about 15 minutes every day between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. to pump her breasts.

Boyle claims the manager told her to train her breast not to make milk then, and the district made no accommodations to allow her to feed her newborn. According to Boyle, she later received a negative evaluation and was urged to resign.

District spokesman Paul Behan said the district does not comment on litigation.