Breastfeeding mom slams school board

TAMPA - Breastfeeding mom Melissa Taylor appeared before the Hillsborough County School Board Tuesday, saying the district's version of what happened to her wasn't true. She asked them to put a breastfeeding policy in place.

Taylor was breastfeeding her 2-year-old daughter in the office of Bellamy Elementary School last week when she says she was called into the principal's office and told what she was doing was inappropriate.

<< Watch Taylor's entire remarks to the school board .

Last week, school district spokesman Steve Hegarty said the principal offered Taylor a more "private, comfortable" place to breastfeed. But Taylor said the principal's comments went beyond that.

"Contrary to what Mr. Hegarty said, I was not merely offered a private place for my comfort, I was called in…and told it was not appropriate to nurse my daughter in the school lobby," she said.

Taylor then quoted from the Florida state law that says a nursing mother can breastfeed anywhere in public or private where she is otherwise allowed to be.

She said the law was designed to encourage public acceptance of breastfeeding, and to prevent breastfeeding moms from being ostracized.

"I feel like what happened to me is exactly what the law is trying to prevent," Taylor said.

Taylor then asked the school board to adopt a breastfeeding policy.

"Mr. Hegarty said the school board does not feel that breastfeeding is inappropriate, and right now, I feel you have an amazing opportunity to prove that," Taylor said to the board members.

Several teachers also spoke at the meeting in support of the Bellamy's principal. They said Taylor's breastfeeding did cause a disruption, and they were left shielding the students.

"She does not have the right to impose her agenda on other people's children without the written consent of the parent or guardian of those children," said teacher Shannon Lehmann.

"A parent, for whatever reason, should not be able to disrupt our routine because she feels she needs to educate us all in her campaign to make public breastfeeding a normal occurrence regardless of how others are affected," said teacher Sharon Albanese.

The school board decided they did not need to adopt a policy. They said school principals ultimately have the final say on any act that is, or could be, a disruption on campus.

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Editor's note: to watch John Wilson's commentary on the breastfeeding controversy, please follow this link , or go to the  to the My View section of the website.