Professor Breastfeeds Baby During Her Lecture

[Hypatias Tragedy]

I have nothing against how motherly the woman is but wouldn't it be a little awkward for someone to have to go to there class only to find it difficult to concentrate as they see their professor breast feeding in front of them? For me it would seeing as I do go to a college

[Pessimist]

Eveille

She is the focus of attention in this room. You are supposed to be directing your attention on her, so, no, this isn't the "I got distracted and blah blah". She purposefully interrupted her own lecture to do something unrelated to it. It is a distraction because you are trying to focus on what she is saying and how that is related to the material you are learning. It's like she yanked out her cellphone, replied to a text message, then went back to a lecture.

[Eveille]

Pessimist

Eveille

She is the focus of attention in this room. You are supposed to be directing your attention on her, so, no, this isn't the "I got distracted and blah blah". She purposefully interrupted her own lecture to do something unrelated to it. It is a distraction because you are trying to focus on what she is saying and how that is related to the material you are learning. It's like she yanked out her cellphone, replied to a text message, then went back to a lecture.

I've had teachers do that.

Doesn't cause me to ogle or lose my train of thought or prevent me from finishing up the notes I was writing or anything really.

I just don't find it to be a big deal and people really shouldn't be thrown for a loop where they just can't back into the lecture.

[Pessimist]

Eveille

Pessimist

Eveille

She is the focus of attention in this room. You are supposed to be directing your attention on her, so, no, this isn't the "I got distracted and blah blah". She purposefully interrupted her own lecture to do something unrelated to it. It is a distraction because you are trying to focus on what she is saying and how that is related to the material you are learning. It's like she yanked out her cellphone, replied to a text message, then went back to a lecture.

I've had teachers do that.

Doesn't cause me to ogle or lose my train of thought or prevent me from finishing up the notes I was writing or anything really.

I just don't find it to be a big deal and people really shouldn't be thrown for a loop where they just can't back into the lecture.

Yeah, and it's distracting and rude, and you shouldn't allow that sort of behavior. In my classes, I operate on this curious concept called 'mutual respect'. I pay attention in class and behave and likewise the teacher focuses on teaching his/her material for the class period.

Now, I understand that she was not trying to be rude and her situation was difficult, but difficult situations are not a cover-all excuse. She could have done something different in her situation, but she didn't and now she has to deal with the consequences, which include being viewed as unprofessional.

[Eveille]

Pessimist

Eveille

Pessimist

Eveille

She is the focus of attention in this room. You are supposed to be directing your attention on her, so, no, this isn't the "I got distracted and blah blah". She purposefully interrupted her own lecture to do something unrelated to it. It is a distraction because you are trying to focus on what she is saying and how that is related to the material you are learning. It's like she yanked out her cellphone, replied to a text message, then went back to a lecture.

I've had teachers do that.

Doesn't cause me to ogle or lose my train of thought or prevent me from finishing up the notes I was writing or anything really.

I just don't find it to be a big deal and people really shouldn't be thrown for a loop where they just can't back into the lecture.

Yeah, and it's distracting and rude, and you shouldn't allow that sort of behavior. In my classes, I operate on this curious concept called 'mutual respect'. I pay attention in class and behave and likewise the teacher focuses on teaching his/her material for the class period.

Now, I understand that she was not trying to be rude and her situation was difficult, but difficult situations are not a cover-all excuse. She could have done something different in her situation, but she didn't and now she has to deal with the consequences, which include being viewed as unprofessional.

My dad used to take me to his entires when I was with him. I was about 9-11. I would hope that my simply being there was not some inflammatory distraction but hey, now I guess I could have been.

I just find it silly that people can claim to be so easily distracted and unable to get over it and concentrate again on the subject at hand.

The cell phone use is rude, you are quite right, worse even, it is hypocritical because we'd get I. Trouble if ours went off. However, it was not some hugely undue burden on my time or attention span and as such I dont think it is the sort of behavior that warrants this much attention or academic disapproval to her whole career.

Then again I am of the opinion that most mistakes that cause a fuss are of a petty enough nature that everyone should really just go on with their lives, like that girl and her brown tights.

[Pessimist]

Eveille

My dad used to take me to his entires when I was with him. I was about 9-11. I would hope that my simply being there was not some inflammatory distraction but hey, now I guess I could have been.

I just find it silly that people can claim to be so easily distracted and unable to get over it and concentrate again on the subject at hand.

The cell phone use is rude, you are quite right, worse even, it is hypocritical because we'd get I. Trouble if ours went off. However, it was not some hugely undue burden on my time or attention span and as such I dont think it is the sort of behavior that warrants this much attention or academic disapproval to her whole career.

Then again I am of the opinion that most mistakes that cause a fuss are of a petty enough nature that everyone should really just go on with their lives, like that girl and her brown tights.

Was he the professor for the class? Did he stop the lecture to play with you? Or did you just sit quietly in the back of the room and draw or read? If it was the last one, then, no, I doubt anyone would consider you distracting as you were keeping to yourself.

This professor is the focus of her class for that set class period. At that moment, she has a job to perform. A job people pay her money to do so. I'm not against women taking breaks to breastfeed, or breastfeed in public or whatever. That's a total non-issue. The issue to me is that she decided that the people paying attention to her in the room were not worth enough of her respect that she should attempt to prepare for her situation by, say, breastfeeding before class, pumping, or any number of things.

As a student, I am expected to be prepared for class, shut up and pay attention. Why am I (figuratively) unworthy of that same respect to someone whose salary I am paying for? We are all adults here. I'm parroting one a syllabi from one of my current teachers who states that there are expectations for both the student AND the teacher.

But then, maybe it's just sciences vs liberal arts. All of my classes are hard sciences. We don't have time for distractions. The idea of one of my professors whipping out a cellphone/baby/whatever and stopping their lecture is unthinkable given that there is an extensive amount of material to cover and it's not easy.

[David2074]

Phallic Wonderland

o.o Kind of confusing that people in feminist anthropology had a problem with it. I'd figure people who want to take that class would be gung-ho for such bravery of feeding a child during a lecture.

This is what I was thinking. You'd think people taking a class like that would be more open minded - or at least 'open' to anything that supported the woman's point of view. And it is a college level course. If these students are not old enough or mature enough to see a woman discreetly breastfeed then I feel sad for our society.

I am largely an auditory learner. Audio distractions are difficult for me to tune out. If the baby was fussing I'm glad she fed it. I could have learned more from the lecture if she did it in the nude than if she did it fully clothed with a crying baby.

Personally though I am 'pro-public breastfeeding'. I see nothing wrong with it if done discreetly. Where I live (WA state) I see breastfeeding in public many times a year. Most women use some discretion and I rarely see a n****e or even much of a breast and don't care if I do. I enjoy breasts in the proper context but I fail to see why some folks make such a big deal out of a breast.

I also find it amusingly ironic that some of the conservative folks who speak out against the objectification of women (things like Playboy or Penthouse) also have a problem with breasts being used for what they were made for. If public breastfeeding were more common the mysterious allure / taboo about breasts that some kids grow up with would probably diminish.

[Phallic Wonderland]

David2074

Phallic Wonderland

o.o Kind of confusing that people in feminist anthropology had a problem with it. I'd figure people who want to take that class would be gung-ho for such bravery of feeding a child during a lecture.

This is what I was thinking. You'd think people taking a class like that would be more open minded - or at least 'open' to anything that supported the woman's point of view. And it is a college level course. If these students are not old enough or mature enough to see a woman discreetly breastfeed then I feel sad for our society.

I am largely an auditory learner. Audio distractions are difficult for me to tune out. If the baby was fussing I'm glad she fed it. I could have learned more from the lecture if she did it in the nude than if she did it fully clothed with a crying baby.

Personally though I am 'pro-public breastfeeding'. I see nothing wrong with it if done discreetly. Where I live (WA state) I see breastfeeding in public many times a year. Most women use some discretion and I rarely see a n****e or even much of a breast and don't care if I do. I enjoy breasts in the proper context but I fail to see why some folks make such a big deal out of a breast.

I also find it amusingly ironic that some of the conservative folks who speak out against the objectification of women (things like Playboy or Penthouse) also have a problem with breasts being used for what they were made for. If public breastfeeding were more common the mysterious allure / taboo about breasts that some kids grow up with would probably diminish.

I agree, the people fighting the sexualization and objectification of breasts and the female form find breastfeeding in a lecture about feminism to be distracting? I don't get it. If anything, if I were the professor I would have used my breastfeeding as a point in the lecture.

Bitches be picky as ********.

[Eveille]

Pessimist

Eveille

My dad used to take me to his entires when I was with him. I was about 9-11. I would hope that my simply being there was not some inflammatory distraction but hey, now I guess I could have been.

I just find it silly that people can claim to be so easily distracted and unable to get over it and concentrate again on the subject at hand.

The cell phone use is rude, you are quite right, worse even, it is hypocritical because we'd get I. Trouble if ours went off. However, it was not some hugely undue burden on my time or attention span and as such I dont think it is the sort of behavior that warrants this much attention or academic disapproval to her whole career.

Then again I am of the opinion that most mistakes that cause a fuss are of a petty enough nature that everyone should really just go on with their lives, like that girl and her brown tights.

Was he the professor for the class? Did he stop the lecture to play with you? Or did you just sit quietly in the back of the room and draw or read? If it was the last one, then, no, I doubt anyone would consider you distracting as you were keeping to yourself.

This professor is the focus of her class for that set class period. At that moment, she has a job to perform. A job people pay her money to do so. I'm not against women taking breaks to breastfeed, or breastfeed in public or whatever. That's a total non-issue. The issue to me is that she decided that the people paying attention to her in the room were not worth enough of her respect that she should attempt to prepare for her situation by, say, breastfeeding before class, pumping, or any number of things.

As a student, I am expected to be prepared for class, shut up and pay attention. Why am I (figuratively) unworthy of that same respect to someone whose salary I am paying for? We are all adults here. I'm parroting one a syllabi from one of my current teachers who states that there are expectations for both the student AND the teacher.

But then, maybe it's just sciences vs liberal arts. All of my classes are hard sciences. We don't have time for distractions. The idea of one of my professors whipping out a cellphone/baby/whatever and stopping their lecture is unthinkable given that there is an extensive amount of material to cover and it's not easy.

He was a physics and calculus prof. and I sat at the front of the class at his desk. I read and drew. The students didn't even acknowledge me most of the time.

I understand that there are responsibilities between faculty and students, especially when both are adults, but the thing is, she kept teaching. It was, to me, a totally minor inconvenience that she may have paused for a minute before resuming the lecture while breast feeding. It's not like she stopped completely for 15 minutes or cancelled the first class, which would have been far more annoying had I been a student there.

[Mayor Gravity]

I think there are other ways that the professor should and could have handled her baby being hungry, but at the same point, I don't understand the big deal.

[David2074]

Pessimist

The issue to me is that she decided that the people paying attention to her in the room were not worth enough of her respect that she should attempt to prepare for her situation by, say, breastfeeding before class, pumping, or any number of things.

You don't really know that. And the issue wasn't pre-pumping. It was no daycare for her baby because it was sick. So another way to look at it is she respected her students enough that even though she could have bailed on them and stayed home with a paid sick day and let the students show up to an empty lecture hall, hang around wasting their time and then finally grumble and leave, she instead provided the lecture they came for. She also apparently placed additional importance on the fact it was the first day of lectures.

The article quotes the college making a vague statement about how she could have taken a sick day but it doesn't really say if there was anyone prepared or available to give the lecture in her place on short notice. Most probably the lecture would just have been canceled. If so, it was not choice between lecture with or without baby. It was a choice between lecture or no lecture. If I was a student in that class I would have appreciated the professor going the extra mile for me and showing up to give the lecture when she could have stayed home. To me, that is respecting the education I paid for, not disrespecting it.

I don't know your age or if you have experienced parenthood but children, especially babies, can get sick or have problems on very short notice. With a baby in particular it is important to keep a very close eye on them because it can be difficult to know how serious the problem is since they can't talk about it. Babies can also take a turn for the worse very quickly compared to older children. Virtually every daycare (at least all the ones I've had any contact with) has rules about not bringing your child in if it is sick. They are very adamant about that. For a single mom with no built in backup plan like a nearby retired relative it can be quite an obstacle. Hopefully if you encounter it some day folks won't just automatically assume you are trying to be disrespectful of them.

The article does not say but I suspect if the baby was sick longer term she would have made other arrangements either for care of the baby or a substitute professor. But by then she would have known and had a little more time to address the issue.

[the derps]

Nyadriel

Notice how so far... it is the males posting in this thread that are saying that it is "unprofessional"...

jealous and butthurt that women are using their breasts for what they are intended for and NOT to please their stupid asses. rolleyes

[Pessimist]

Eveille

He was a physics and calculus prof. and I sat at the front of the class at his desk. I read and drew. The students didn't even acknowledge me most of the time.

I understand that there are responsibilities between faculty and students, especially when both are adults, but the thing is, she kept teaching. It was, to me, a totally minor inconvenience that she may have paused for a minute before resuming the lecture while breast feeding. It's not like she stopped completely for 15 minutes or cancelled the first class, which would have been far more annoying had I been a student there.

Having watched my sister breast feed, it takes a few minutes to sit down, undo her top, settle the baby and start to feed. It's certainly long enough to be distracting during a lecture.

David2074

You don't really know that. And the issue wasn't pre-pumping. It was no daycare for her baby because it was sick. So another way to look at it is she respected her students enough that even though she could have bailed on them and stayed home with a paid sick day and let the students show up to an empty lecture hall, hang around wasting their time and then finally grumble and leave, she instead provided the lecture they came for. She also apparently placed additional importance on the fact it was the first day of lectures.

The article quotes the college making a vague statement about how she could have taken a sick day but it doesn't really say if there was anyone prepared or available to give the lecture in her place on short notice. Most probably the lecture would just have been canceled. If so, it was not choice between lecture with or without baby. It was a choice between lecture or no lecture. If I was a student in that class I would have appreciated the professor going the extra mile for me and showing up to give the lecture when she could have stayed home. To me, that is respecting the education I paid for, not disrespecting it.

I don't know your age or if you have experienced parenthood but children, especially babies, can get sick or have problems on very short notice. With a baby in particular it is important to keep a very close eye on them because it can be difficult to know how serious the problem is since they can't talk about it. Babies can also take a turn for the worse very quickly compared to older children. Virtually every daycare (at least all the ones I've had any contact with) has rules about not bringing your child in if it is sick. They are very adamant about that. For a single mom with no built in backup plan like a nearby retired relative it can be quite an obstacle. Hopefully if you encounter it some day folks won't just automatically assume you are trying to be disrespectful of them.

The article does not say but I suspect if the baby was sick longer term she would have made other arrangements either for care of the baby or a substitute professor. But by then she would have known and had a little more time to address the issue.

I understand that the child was sick and she was on short notice. I never once said anything about having an issue with the child in the classroom (though I do feel for the TA who is suddenly turned babysitter). But unless she had an 8am class, would it really be that hard to take a half hour prior to class, pump some milk, bottle it, then hand it off to the beleaguered TA and start the lecture?

[Nurse Newt]

I have no problem with breastfeeding in public--the baby wants what the baby wants. However, I can see how breast feeding the baby, let alone the baby, would be distracting to students who are trying to focus.

[David2074]

Pessimist

Having watched my sister breast feed, it takes a few minutes to sit down, undo her top, settle the baby and start to feed. It's certainly long enough to be distracting during a lecture.

I say this sincerely and not to be snarky but if it really takes your sister 'a few minutes' to get her baby latched and sucking there is something wrong. Either she is inexperienced in positions for a good latch, has a physical issue like inverted nipples or trouble getting her milk to drop, is wearing clothing not conducive to breast feeding, has a particularly fussy baby - or something.

I have been around many breastfeeding women and have even instructed a couple in how to properly breastfeed and/or pump. With the exception of the first two or three feedings after birth most women can free a breast and 'plug in' a baby in a matter of seconds. I have seen many women who are good enough at doing this even in public that it can be difficult to be sure if they are feeding their baby or simply holding it with a receiving blanket to keep the light out of its eyes. My point being don't just assume due to your sister's experience that the lecture ground to a halt for several minutes due to plugging in a baby.

Pessimist

I understand that the child was sick and she was on short notice. I never once said anything about having an issue with the child in the classroom (though I do feel for the TA who is suddenly turned babysitter). But unless she had an 8am class, would it really be that hard to take a half hour prior to class, pump some milk, bottle it, then hand it off to the beleaguered TA and start the lecture?

You made the statement she was being disrespectful to her students and implied that it was by choice she did not make other arrangements either for the baby or the feeding. This implies you have never dealt with the realities of being a single parent trying to get yourself and a very young child ready and out the door in the morning. One could speculate about many possible scenarios / occurrences. Up most of the night and little sleep due to sick child. Not finding out child was sick until shortly before class so no time to pump. Adjusting to a new schedule due to first day of class. Being ready to go out the door on time then having to change your clothes and the babies because baby puked or s**t all over both of you. Time schedule being shot to hell by having to give frequent attention to a baby who would otherwise have laid happily while she got her own shower and breakfast.

I do not claim to have any more specific knowledge of this woman's morning than you or any of the rest of us reading the news article. I was just pointing out it was presumptuous of you to assume the woman was being disrespectful to her students because she breastfed.

I also find it interesting that, based on your statements, you had no issue with the baby being in the classroom so your whole reason for feeling she was being disrespectful to her students was about the breastfeeding. I find it interesting you feel a nursing baby would be that distracting or offensive to adults. I personally find it rather peaceful and certainly less distracting than a baby crying or crawling around or banging a rattle on something.