The ACLU Pushes For State Law Giving Pregnant Teens School Maternity Leave

The American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico says it plans to push for a new state law that would give pregnant teenagers maternity leave from school.

KRQE-TV reports that ACLU of New Mexico says it will push for the proposal in the next legislative session in January. In addition under the proposal, pregnant and parenting students, boys and girls, would get up to 14 days of absences a semester. Currently, students typically get up to 10 days per semester.

Alexandra Smith, a staff attorney with ACLU of New Mexico, says the time will allow mothers to bond with children and recovered from births.

A recent attempt to make maternity leave mandatory at Denver Public Schools met resistance from a national group Concerned Women for America.

___

Information from: KRQE-TV.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.