Cleveland Board of Education v. LaFleur

Cleveland's school board (defendant) required pregnant teachers to take unpaid leave starting five months before their due date and barred their return until three months after birth plus medical certification of fitness; a similar Virginia school board required leave starting four months before the due date. Teachers in both districts (plaintiffs) sued, arguing these rigid, one-size-fits-all rules violated their constitutional rights, and the Supreme Court granted certiorari to resolve a circuit split.