10 Things That American Women Could Not Do Before the 1970s

[BlueMTexpat]

11. In the early 70s, in my school district, you were required to quit before five months.

Of course, I know lots who "fudged" a bit on the five months' notice ... and didn't blame them a bit.

Once you quit, if you weren't already covered under your husband's policy, you had no insurance. And you certainly got no maternity leave pay.

There was also no guarantee that you would have a job the following year - any job - let alone the one you had left. So yes, as one who actually saw several colleagues/friends/relatives have to undergo this stupid - and dehumanizing, considering how natural and necessary birth is if we want the species to continue - process, it did indeed happen. It was the rule, not the exception.

It should never happened at all.

Thankfully, my own children were in school (1st & 2nd grade) in those years. Otherwise, I would never even have been hired because I had young children at home, even though I had a Master's degree - and lots of relevant experience - in my subject area.