FL Teacher Fired For Using Student’s Preferred Gender Identity Name

BREVARD COUNTY, FL — A teacher with Brevard Public Schools was fired because she used a student’s preferred name rather than their legal name without permission from the child's parents, according to multiple reports.

The district didn’t renew the annual contract for Melissa Calhoun, a teacher at Satellite High School, because she referred to a student by a name that was related to the student's gender identity, Florida Today said.

"At BPS our focus is on education — teachers are here to teach and support students academically," a spokesperson for the school district told Florida Today. "Our job is to work in partnership with parents and guardians to ensure student success."

Under the Parental Rights in Education Act, which passed in 2022 and has been referred to as the “Don’t Say Gay” law by critics, teachers legally can’t use a student’s preferred pronouns or name — even a nickname — without parental permission, according to WFLA.

Calhoun will finish out her current contract, which ends in May, and the state will review her teaching certification because she broke state law.

The student’s parents reached out to the school district about Calhoun using the child’s preferred name.

"Brevard Public Schools (BPS) was made aware that a teacher at Satellite High School had been referring to a student by a name other than their legal name, without parental permission when the parent reached out to us. This directly violates state law and the district's standardized process for written parental consent,” the district said in a statement provided to WESH. "BPS supports parents’ rights to be the primary decision-makers in their children’s lives, and Florida law affirms their right to be informed.”

During an investigation, Calhoun admitted to using the student’s preferred name and knowingly violating state law, reports said.