You have the right not to experience discrimination or retaliation at school because you are breast/chestfeeding* or because you asked for accommodations to breast/chestfeed or pump milk.

  • This may include the right to accommodations, including break time and a private, non-restroom space, for pumping.
  • This may also include the right to accommodations for pumping during standardized tests and professional examinations.

Federal Title IX law prohibits schools that receive federal funding from discriminating based on sex, which includes pregnancy and related conditions (such as breast/chestfeeding). 

The Illinois Human Rights Act protects any person from being denied enrollment or access to facilities or services at any place of education (including elementary, secondary, undergraduate, and postgraduate schools) just because she is breast/chestfeeding or needs to pump milk.


*Chestfeeding is an alternate term for lactating people that do not to use the term “breast” when referring to their bodies.

Breast/Chestfeeding in Illinois