Professor breast feeds in class.

[jjenny]

BBM. What's the difference? Either the issue is people are freaked by the dreaded naked breast or even the thought that said breast is being sucked on by an infant under a blanket, or they are distracted by a child being fed anything during a lecture.

For some reason, despite many protestations about distraction, germs, etc., I get the feeling this is really more about subconscious feelings that breast feeding is a sexual act, even when people do not think so consciously.

I don't understand your question. Would it be appropriate if a professor started munching on a burger and fries during the lecture? Just because it's legal to breastfeed in public, does it mean it's appropriate to do while giving a lecture?

 

[jjenny]

I think the students were more distracted by using their cell phones to tweet about the situation. The woman finished the lecture, though I'm not sure all the kids heard all of it, what with all the tweeting, etc.

There was one student that used a tweeter about his teacher breastfeeding.
So lets not exaggerate here.

 

[Nova]

I don't understand your question. Would it be appropriate if a professor started munching on a burger and fries during the lecture? Just because it's legal to breastfeed in public, does it mean it's appropriate to do while giving a lecture?

If she'd been held captive without food for several days and released just in time to get to class, yes.

The professor in question has said plainly that this was an extraordinary situation and she was ad libbing. She doesn't plan to and hasn't asserted a right to breastfeed her baby in every class.

 

[Nova]

Its still not acceptable. I understand students are class shopping, and I understand how awkward it is to ring up sick on your first day at a new job. If the father of the child couldn't take the day off work and stay with the baby, or wasn't around to do so, she had to take the day off sick.

If I was a class hopping student, which I have been, and the teacher brought her baby into class on the first day, (with or without breast feeding), that would be the end of that class for me.

Not to mention that the child was sick, and on that basis alone should not have been brought into a lecture hall full of students.

The professor is a single parent. It doesn't sound like there is a father in the picture.

If I were class shopping, I wouldn't be even slightly surprised if a professor breastfed her baby during a class in Feminist Anthropology. On the contrary, I'd be shocked if she didn't. LOL.

 

[PeteyGirl]

So because some body function is "natural" means its appropriate to do in front of a class?

She was breastfeeding, not taking a crap!

 

[FrayedKnot]

She was breastfeeding, not taking a crap!

Funniest thing I have read all day!

 

[BuzzieCat]

BBM. What's the difference? Either the issue is people are freaked by the dreaded naked breast or even the thought that said breast is being sucked on by an infant under a blanket, or they are distracted by a child being fed anything during a lecture.

For some reason, despite many protestations about distraction, germs, etc., I get the feeling this is really more about subconscious feelings that breast feeding is a sexual act, even when people do not think so consciously.

If the child is feeding herself, the instructor is not dividing her attention (as much) between feeding the child and teaching the class as she would be if she were actively doing the feeding and teaching at the same time. But even this is a problem IMO, because her attention had to have been divided between teaching the class and making sure the child didn't hit her head, fall off a desk, stick a finger in a power socket, or what have you.

I was recently in school myself and a good portion of my fellow students were using their phones or laptops to text and browse the internet. Incredibly rude and stupid, but apparently many students these days do it, whether or not the instructor is breast feeding in class.

 

[Cappuccino]

The professor is a single parent. It doesn't sound like there is a father in the picture.

If I were class shopping, I wouldn't be even slightly surprised if a professor breastfed her baby during a class in Feminist Anthropology. On the contrary, I'd be shocked if she didn't. LOL.

If the professor was a single parent, then she should have taken that day off work.

And if I was class shopping for any subject, including feminist anthropology, and the teacher was this unprofessional, I would pass. Hell, if I was taking a class on feminist breastfeeding, I would have passed. If the teacher can't sort her child care arrangements well enough to deal with this kind of situation, then how reliable is she going to be for the rest of the term?

Plus, she brought a sick child into a class full of students. A big no no.

ETA: All of the above would apply whether she was breast feeding or bottle feeding. The breast feeding thing is a red herring here, she shouldn't have had her sick child in the class in the first place.

 

[FrayedKnot]

BBM. What's the difference? Either the issue is people are freaked by the dreaded naked breast or even the thought that said breast is being sucked on by an infant under a blanket, or they are distracted by a child being fed anything during a lecture.

For some reason, despite many protestations about distraction, germs, etc., I get the feeling this is really more about subconscious feelings that breast feeding is a sexual act, even when people do not think so consciously.

This. Well said.

My ten-year-old asked me the other day why women 'had' to wear bras or for that matter, cover their chests anyway, since men don't. She knows that breasts are not a sexual (reproductive) organ (erogenous, yes, but SHE is not yet aware of that fact, lol) nor are they a part of the body associated with waste elimination.

She simply wanted to know why breasts were considered 'private parts' and darn if I didn't have a good answer. The kid stumped me. I guess we as a society think breasts are akin to anuses.

Makes you think.......

 

[Nova]

If the professor was a single parent, then she should have taken that day off work.

And if I was class shopping for any subject, including feminist anthropology, and the teacher was this unprofessional, I would pass. Hell, if I was taking a class on feminist breastfeeding, I would have passed. If the teacher can't sort her child care arrangements well enough to deal with this kind of situation, then how reliable is she going to be for the rest of the term?

Plus, she brought a sick child into a class full of students. A big no no.

ETA: All of the above would apply whether she was breast feeding or bottle feeding. The breast feeding thing is a red herring here, she shouldn't have had her sick child in the class in the first place.

Unless the students were handling the sick infant, it's doubtful they were at risk. And I am telling you from personal experience, those students will pass around every flu, cold and other virus over the next 9 months, sick baby or no.

The only person put at additional risk was the TA, who graciously tried to occupy the baby. And even she will be fine if she washed her hands afterward without touching her mouth or eyes.

I think we need to keep in mind that this was a new teacher's first day on the job. She's not proposing to bring her child to class on a regular basis. She was in a bind and she improvised as best she could with little notice.

When I was teaching, my department had a strict "no visitors" policy for core courses. Yet every once in awhile, a student would have a visitor (usually a parent) and no place to put that visitor during a 3-hour class. So I would violate policy and allow the parent to sit in on the class. I didn't allow it to become a habit (and obviously there was no breastfeeding), but special circumstances sometimes call for a bending of the rules.

Unless one finds breast-feeding "yucky" or pornographic, I just don't see the harm. If a student was distracted for the few minutes the breastfeeding took place, why what a wonderful opportunity for the student to reflect on WHY s/he was distracted and what s/he might do to become more comfortable with the basic processes of life!

Students texting and tweeting during class is a MUCH BIGGER PROBLEM and should be strictly forbidden. My students knew the quickest way to get humiliated in public was to pull out a cell phone.

 

[Nova]

This. Well said.

My ten-year-old asked me the other day why women 'had' to wear bras or for that matter, cover their chests anyway, since men don't. She knows that breasts are not a sexual (reproductive) organ (erogenous, yes, but SHE is not yet aware of that fact, lol) nor are they a part of the body associated with waste elimination.

She simply wanted to know why breasts were considered 'private parts' and darn if I didn't have a good answer. The kid stumped me. I guess we as a society think breasts are akin to anuses.

Makes you think.......

I think the simple answer is that the rules are made by men and men tend to see breasts as sexual objects rather than food sources for babies. In fact, in my experience most men try to think about the actual process of reproduction as little as possible.

(ETA I say this as a gay man who does NOT have a problem with female anatomy.)

 

[LinasK]

Unless the students were handling the sick infant, it's doubtful they were at risk. And I am telling you from personal experience, those students will pass around every flu, cold and other virus over the next 9 months, sick baby or no.

The only person put at additional risk was the TA, who graciously tried to occupy the baby. And even she will be fine if she washed her hands afterward without touching her mouth or eyes.

I think we need to keep in mind that this was a new teacher's first day on the job. She's not proposing to bring her child to class on a regular basis. She was in a bind and she improvised as best she could with little notice.

When I was teaching, my department had a strict "no visitors" policy for core courses. Yet every once in awhile, a student would have a visitor (usually a parent) and no place to put that visitor during a 3-hour class. So I would violate policy and allow the parent to sit in on the class. I didn't allow it to become a habit (and obviously there was no breastfeeding), but special circumstances sometimes call for a bending of the rules.

Unless one finds breast-feeding "yucky" or pornographic, I just don't see the harm. If a student was distracted for the few minutes the breastfeeding took place, why what a wonderful opportunity for the student to reflect on WHY s/he was distracted and what s/he might do to become more comfortable with the basic processes of life!

Students texting and tweeting during class is a MUCH BIGGER PROBLEM and should be strictly forbidden. My students knew the quickest way to get humiliated in public was to pull out a cell phone.

But... if the professor had to feed the child at daycare, I'm assuming she would've pumped out her breast milk and the baby would have been bottle-fed breast milk, so why didn't she do this for the class, and then the baby still would have gotten breast milk without disrupting the class by breast feeding???

 

[JBean]

If she'd been held captive without food for several days and released just in time to get to class, yes.

The professor in question has said plainly that this was an extraordinary situation and she was ad libbing. She doesn't plan to and hasn't asserted a right to breastfeed her baby in every class.

you know this is the heart of the matter imo. If she was fighting for her right to do this at every class or many classes I can see opposition. She punted. Good choice? bad choice? I don't know . Maybe she just felt like she owed it to her class and her child to be there in person for all of them and this was the best solution at the time. She had made commitments to all and was trying to honor them. I think it would have been nice if the students were forgiving and understanding that she had her back against the wall and just did what she felt was the best for everybody.

This stuff doesn't excite me-chit happens- we have to roll with it and so it goes. I don't see this as a landmark case or something that is going to set a precedent for professors and students everywhere!
The publicity amazes me more than anything.

 

[Soulmagent]

So this teacher brings in her sick child (like the child wouldnt have been happier at home) to spread the illness arround the the whole class ,making me miss my classes I paid for so she doesnt use a sick day, vacation day or lose a day of pay . I dont get to bring my sick kid to class, and courts dont even allow children in the courtroom due to the distraction.

I think they were trying to get more interest in breast feeding by making this issue about that but really it is all about the germs this woman is spreading using her child as a bio weapon agaist our young students and distracting them with her boobies so they dont realize it!

 

[flourish]

do we have confirmation that the child was ill with something contagious?

Also, it is possible to nurse a child and talk at the same time. Toss a blanket over your shoulder and talk.

I've been much more uncomfortable in classes where the guy sitting next to me was wearing pants where he was literally sitting on the waistband with his drawers and booty hanging out. When I turned the other way, I was greeted by a hot pink thong being thrust in my face while the young lady in front of me bent over to dig through her backpack. I've seen a lot more non-functional boob exposed in college classes than nursing mothers show.

as far as just cutting the class short, do we know how long this class and course is? Is this an 8-week course which meets once a week or a class that meets 3 times a week for 12 weeks, etc.?

and I agree with those who feel that the constant electronic distractions are much worse than a baby gaining nourishment.

Perhaps the mom had breast milk or formula prepared for the babysitter, but chose to nurse because that act itself is comforting for the baby, and the baby is possibly more likely to accept a breast and calm down and go to sleep than they would when offered a bottle or binky.

imo way too much misguided ado

 

[jjenny]

Unless the students were handling the sick infant, it's doubtful they were at risk. And I am telling you from personal experience, those students will pass around every flu, cold and other virus over the next 9 months, sick baby or no.

The only person put at additional risk was the TA, who graciously tried to occupy the baby. And even she will be fine if she washed her hands afterward without touching her mouth or eyes.

I think we need to keep in mind that this was a new teacher's first day on the job. She's not proposing to bring her child to class on a regular basis. She was in a bind and she improvised as best she could with little notice.

When I was teaching, my department had a strict "no visitors" policy for core courses. Yet every once in awhile, a student would have a visitor (usually a parent) and no place to put that visitor during a 3-hour class. So I would violate policy and allow the parent to sit in on the class. I didn't allow it to become a habit (and obviously there was no breastfeeding), but special circumstances sometimes call for a bending of the rules.

Unless one finds breast-feeding "yucky" or pornographic, I just don't see the harm. If a student was distracted for the few minutes the breastfeeding took place, why what a wonderful opportunity for the student to reflect on WHY s/he was distracted and what s/he might do to become more comfortable with the basic processes of life!

Students texting and tweeting during class is a MUCH BIGGER PROBLEM and should be strictly forbidden. My students knew the quickest way to get humiliated in public was to pull out a cell phone.

I presume the parent can sit in quietly and not be a source of any distractions. So it's hardly the same thing to allow a parent to sit in on the class.

 

[HockeyGirl]

I'm sorry but I'm on the side of the college here. These people are paying a crazy amount of money for their education, and it is NOT ok that she brought her kid to school. My aunt was a single parent who worked two jobs, she NEVER took her kids to work with her, nobody else in any profession would be able to do this. It's not about breastfeeding to me, but about the fact she feels it is ok to bring her kid with her. I would say this if it were a man as well, so it is not gender bias, but stupid bias.

 

[FrayedKnot]

My goodness! How long was the class? Would even an 11-month-old have needed a place to sleep or did mom just need to feed and comfort her sick baby long enough to get through a 50-80 min. lecture? Was this an all-day symposium?

I was under the impression the prof was just thinking on her feet like moms do, and was honoring her commitment to teach the class and still comfort and feed her sick baby who was not permitted at the daycare.

Surely even if she had later classes that day she would have had a break so that her baby could nap, or perhaps she might have had time to make other arrangements for any later classes.

In any case, we are talking about a classroom, not the floor of a slaughterhouse or a razor blade factory. Yeesh.

 

[FrayedKnot]

I'm sorry but I'm on the side of the college here. These people are paying a crazy amount of money for their education, and it is NOT ok that she brought her kid to school. My aunt was a single parent who worked two jobs, she NEVER took her kids to work with her, nobody else in any profession would be able to do this. It's not about breastfeeding to me, but about the fact she feels it is ok to bring her kid with her. I would say this if it were a man as well, so it is not gender bias, but stupid bias.

But yet men are so seldom ever put in this position, whereas every day millions of single mothers have to scramble to find care for sick children or risk missing work. And in this country, many employers are not sympathetic to workdays missed on account of sick children.

And while it does not likely apply in this case, many jobs do not offer paid sick days, so a single mother faces losing a day's wage if she stays home, and sometimes even her job.

 

[jjenny]

But yet men are so seldom ever put in this position, whereas every day millions of single mothers have to scramble to find care for sick children or risk missing work. And in this country, many employers are not sympathetic to workdays missed on account of sick children.

And while it does not likely apply in this case, many jobs do not offer paid sick days, so a single mother faces losing a day's wage if she stays home, and sometimes even her job.

I don't think the solution is bringing baby to the workplace. As for men, they aren't able to get pregnant, so there are a lot more single mothers than there are single fathers.