Thread by @JoshuaGreen

For skeptics of @ewarren’s claim she was from her teaching job in 1971 for being pregnant, the practice was actually widespread. How do I know? Because my mom was fired from HER teaching job in 1971…for being pregnant, with me. A brief thread-->

@ewarren Like Warren, my mom was a young, untenured teacher on a one-year contract. Once visibly pregnant, she was forced out of her job. But there was one big difference: my mom had union backing — and sued the school district to keep her job.

@ewarren The @NEAToday decided to made hers a test case (Green v. Waterford Board of Education) arguing that firing a pregnant teacher — “forced maternity leave” was the euphemism — violated due process + equal protection under the 14th Amendment. It made national news:

@ewarren @NEAToday The practice of firing pregnant teachers had broad, negative societal effects — one that stuck with my mom was that in 1971 many were wives of soldiers serving in Vietnam, abruptly deprived of their livelihood at the worst possible time.

@ewarren @NEAToday So she sued in federal district court — and lost. Here she is in, um, ‘70s leather tunic and medallion(!) on that unhappy day (via the @NYDailyNews)…

@ewarren @NEAToday @NYDailyNews But she appealed and found a more receptive audience at the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The alleged state interest in firing her included "concern for the [health and] safety of the teacher and her unborn child” — yet pregnant students could attend her high school.

@ewarren @NEAToday @NYDailyNews Another rationale for firing pregnant teachers: to avoid "distractions" caused by "pointing, giggling, laughing + making snide remarks.” The judge called this “ludicrous,” adding “whatever may have been the reaction in Queen Victoria's time, pregnancy is no longer a dirty word.”

@ewarren @NEAToday @NYDailyNews He was pretty woke for 1971: “One realizes with a shock what so many women now proclaim: Old accepted rules and customs often discriminate against women in ways that have long been taken for granted or have gone unnoticed.”

@ewarren @NEAToday @NYDailyNews The 2nd Circuit Court found the school’s pregnancy policy “discriminatory” and devoid of“legitimate state interests. It reversed the lower court’s ruling, finding that my mom had “a valid constitutional claim.” The Supreme Court later agreed in a related case.

@ewarren @NEAToday @NYDailyNews By this time I had arrived on the scene -- or, as the @NYDailyNews put it: “the stork arrived” to deliver “a red-haired, 7-pound, 11-ounce boy named Joshua.” My first print appearance! And here’s the kicker…

@ewarren @NEAToday @NYDailyNews My mom sued for lost pay -- and won. Here, in all its ‘70s splendor, is the court photo of the groovy couple and their gigantically fat baby (me) holding a check for $3,028 that the school district had to cut to my mom. //The End

@ewarren @NEAToday @NYDailyNews Almost forgot -- special thanks to mom for digging out the archives. And today's her birthday, too. Happy Birthday, Mom!