Austin ISD's policy on mothers breastfeeding their children on campus received attention during citizens communication at the Nov. 19 board of trustees meeting.

Six mothers spoke out against the policy, claiming it conflicts with Texas law, and urged AISD board members to rewrite its regulation.

The district's policy, which was first implemented in 2009 but has recently been updated, states that it will provide any parent or visitor who has properly checked in at a campus during the school day with a place that is "shielded from view" so that they can breastfeed in private. "The principal or designee shall direct the parent or visitor to the place designated by the principal for breastfeeding or expressing milk," the policy states.

Parent Alexia Haywood said that while AISD's current policy respects both those who wish to breastfeed in public and those who prefer to do so in private, directing all mothers to a private breastfeeding area is not aligned with state law.

"I'm going to call it like I see it here," she said. "The law makes it clear that breastfeeding in public is not unlawful or inappropriate."

Marianne Baker, a representative of the Central Texas Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition, said that according to state law, if a mother is authorized to be on campus, then she has a right to breastfeed there without being shielded from view.

Another parent, Kristine Keller, said she thinks changing the breastfeeding policy would show future generations that the practice is normal.