Florida Teacher Loses Job for Using Student’s Chosen Name

Melissa Calhoun, a public school teacher in Florida, has been informed that her contract will not be renewed after she used a student’s chosen name without parental consent. While several states have enacted similar anti-trans legislation, Calhoun’s case appears to be the first publicly reported instance where a teacher’s job has been directly impacted for affirming a student’s identity.

In July 2023, Florida lawmakers passed House Bill 1069, part of a broader effort to target what state officials have called “woke gender ideology.” The law prohibits public school staff from using pronouns or titles that differ from a student’s sex assigned at birth. That same year, the Florida State Board of Education codified the measure into administrative policy under Rule 6A-1.0955.

Florida has a formal disciplinary process for educators who violate State Board of Education rules. It begins with an investigation by the Office of Professional Practices Services and may lead to sanctions by the Education Practices Commission, including suspension or revocation of teaching certification. One specific rule that can trigger disciplinary action is Rule 6A-10.081, the Principles of Professional Conduct, which includes provisions prohibiting educators from failing to comply with local school board policies.

According to a statement shared with Newsweek, Brevard Public Schools (BPS) received a complaint from a parent alleging that Calhoun had referred to their child by a name other than the student’s legal name, in violation of the law. Calhoun admitted during the investigation that she knowingly failed to comply with district policy requiring parental consent and was subsequently issued “a letter of reprimand” by the school district.

Calhoun, who is employed under a 10-month contract expiring in May, will remain in her position until the end of the term. However, BPS Spokesperson Janet Murnaghan told FLORIDA TODAY that the district has opted not to renew it, as the state is now reviewing her teaching license following the violation.

The incident has sparked significant public backlash. A petition on Change.org titled “Reinstate Ms. Calhoun: Advocate for Respect and Student Rights” has garnered over 19,000 signatures. The petition reads: “Ms. Calhoun is an embodiment of what proper education should be: inclusive, understanding, and respectful of individuality…Every child deserves to be educated in an environment where they feel respected and valued. Teachers like Ms. Calhoun, who understand and act on this principle, are essential to create such an environment.”

On Thursday, students at Calhoun’s school rallied in support and staged a walkout in protest, despite being threatened with a 10-day suspension. “The fact that that could have been any teacher is scary. That could have been one of my teachers,” a student who also doesn’t go by her legal name at school told FLORIDA TODAY at the rally.

Earlier in the week, community members attended a school board meeting to express their support for Calhoun. “The mission statement on the banner behind the board says, ‘Our mission: to serve every student with excellence as the standard,’” Ryan Matrigali, a junior at Satellite High, said at the meeting. “Why should this teacher be punished when she is just serving her students with excellence and understanding?”

The Brevard Federation of Teachers also issued a statement defending Calhoun: “Educators simply want to do what they love and what they are highly trained to do: teach to the best of their ability, support the best outcomes for their students, and help students thrive…every student deserves to be treated with dignity and respect — they need classrooms where they can learn, grow, thrive, and connect with their educators, peers, and communities. Every educator deserves the ability to do their job without fear of whatever political battle they will be thrown into.”

In a resource guide published by the National Lawyers Guild’s Queer Caucus, educators are encouraged to prioritize student safety and comfort when it comes to name and pronoun use. The guide recommends that teachers “use the name and pronoun your student feels safest and most comfortable using, and have a discussion with them about their parent’s knowledge of their use of a different name or pronouns.”

Other resource guides, from GLSEN and the National Education Association (NEA), also recommend that educators support and affirm transgender students’ identities by using students’ chosen name and pronouns — even as the Trump administration is increasingly hostile to trans youth and those who support them.

“Educators should not be intimidated… from treating all students with dignity and respect, and fostering safe, welcoming, and inclusive learning environments for all students,” the NEA said in a February guidance.