A pregnant law student’s battle with Georgetown University Law Center over exam accommodations has sparked nationwide attention after her request to reschedule exams near her due date was initially denied. The resolution came only after public outcry and the support of thousands.
Brittany Lovely, a Georgetown law student expecting her first child on December 2, faced an impossible situation when her final exams were scheduled between December 6 and December 13—dangerously close to her due date. Lovely requested to either take her exams early or from home shortly after giving birth. Both options were denied, leaving her scrambling for a solution.
“I really wasn’t trying to get anything crazy to happen,” Lovely explained. “I asked if I could take the exam early.”
The university’s deferral dates, set for December 16-18, did not align with Lovely’s circumstances. Since firstborn babies are often early or late, her due date presented a significant risk of conflicting with the exams. For Lovely, a Black woman aware of the disproportionate maternal mortality rates for Black mothers in Washington, D.C., the stakes were even higher. Data from the District of Columbia’s Maternal Mortality Review Committee shows Black individuals make up 90% of pregnancy-related deaths in the area, despite accounting for just half of all births.
GULC to a pregnant 2L who requested final exam accommodations for the week she is expected to give birth: “Motherhood is not for the Faint of Heart.”
byu/nocturnegold inwashingtondc
A Frustrating Process
In September, Lovely worked with a supportive Title IX official, referencing the 1972 federal law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in federally funded schools. Together, they crafted two reasonable options for accommodations: taking the exams early when the finals period began or completing them remotely after giving birth. Both suggestions were denied by the school’s registrar and Office of Academic Affairs.
Lovely requested a meeting with school officials to understand the denial. During the October 15 Zoom meeting, officials cited Georgetown’s honor code and a blanket policy prohibiting early exams. Lovely described the experience as “horrible,” noting that officials suggested she could bring her newborn to campus, with someone watching the baby outside the exam room so she could breastfeed during breaks.
Determined to fight for a solution, Lovely drafted a legal memo outlining her rights under Title IX and the Americans with Disabilities Act. She sent the memo to the law school dean on November 10, but his response directed her back to the Title IX office, providing no resolution.
Public Outcry Brings Change
Frustrated and out of options, Lovely’s friends stepped in to amplify her voice. They created a petition urging Georgetown to accommodate Lovely, which garnered over 7,000 signatures from students, faculty, alumni, and community members nationwide.
The pressure worked. On November 24, Georgetown announced it would open additional deferral dates in January, allowing Lovely to complete her exams after her recovery.
Lovely acknowledged the breakthrough but noted the struggle’s toll. “The resolution was reached only after all of the public outcry,” she said.
Calls for Policy Change
Lovely hopes her case leads to systemic change. “What I really would like to see is the school—and law schools generally—step up to support their students,” she said. “I expect a policy change at this point to ensure no one else has to go through this.”
Georgetown University, in a statement, claimed to have reached a “mutually agreeable solution” while reiterating its commitment to pregnant and parenting students. However, Lovely’s ordeal underscores the need for clearer policies that prioritize the health and well-being of students navigating similar challenges.