Court Case Cleveland Board of Education V. LaFleur challenged maternity policy regarding teachers forced to go on unpaid leave involuntarily for 4-5 months due to their pregnancy. Jo Carol LaFleur and Ana Elizabeth Nelson, both teachers who worked under the Cleveland Board of Education, when these problems occurred which led to their decision to file a lawsuit against the board. They mainly hoped to be able to continue teaching even after the 5 months that politics required them to leave. Failure to comply with these rules would lead to dismissal from the job or would not be guaranteed reemployment. The Supreme Court ruled that the Cleveland Board of Education's policy violated and went against the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. This case was very significant as it preserved the rights of teachers, especially women. In 1952, the Cleveland BOE adopted a policy that all pregnant teachers were required to go on maternity leave 5 months before their due date. Even after pregnancy, the rule was that they had to pass a physical examination by a doctor to prove that they were physically fit to teach. "A teacher may return to duty from maternity leave no earlier than the beginning of the regular school term following the age of three (3) months of the child. In unusual circumstances, exceptions to this requirement may be made by the Superintendent with the approval of The written request to return to duty from maternity leave must be received by the Superintendent at least six (6) weeks before the start of the semester in which teaching is expected to resume and must be accompanied by a medical certificate certifying recovery. .... middle of paper ...... restrictive maternity leave regulations can place a heavy burden on the exercise of these protected freedoms, since maternity leave regulations in public schools directly affect "one of the rights fundamental civil rights of man." Skinner v. Oklahoma, supra, paragraph 541, the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment requires that such provisions shall not unnecessarily, arbitrarily, or capriciously interfere with this vital area of ​​a teacher's constitutional freedom. (Legal Information Institute, 2014) Arbitrarily, the Cleveland BOE believes that after 5 months, the teacher will not be able to teach the class due to excessive physical demands that will put a strain on them. As the textbook states, “The court said that while school boards could set policy standards on teachers' pregnancy leaves, they could not set arbitrary leave and return dates.” (Morrison, 1997, p. 275)