ORLANDO, Fla. — Melissa Calhoun, a former high school teacher in Brevard County, was reprimanded and placed on probation for using a student’s preferred name without parental consent.
Calhoun, who taught AP English, referred to a student by a nickname that did not align with the student’s biological gender, violating a new Florida law requiring parental permission for such actions.
“This was not a mistake. This was a conscious and deliberate decision to engage in gender affirmation without parental knowledge,” said Dr. Mark Rendell, Superintendent of Brevard Public Schools.
The controversy surrounding Calhoun’s actions arose amid Florida’s new legislation mandating that teachers use only a student’s legal name unless parental permission is granted in writing. The Brevard County School Board decided not to renew Calhoun’s contract, citing the potential risk to her teaching certificate.
Despite attempts by the Department of Education to withdraw from a settlement, the Florida Education Practices Commission allowed Calhoun to keep her teaching certificate under probation. Charlotte Wintz, a member of the Commission, expressed discomfort with the case and questioned the law’s implications.
Education officials highlight that the case underscores ongoing debates surrounding parental rights and teacher responsibilities in Florida, as well as the wider implications of the state’s nickname law.
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