Florida Teacher's Job Status on Hold for Using Student's 'Preferred Name'

A teacher in Florida has been told she won't have her contract extended "until the issue is resolved with the state" after she referred to a child be their preferred name, rather than legal their legal name, without parental consent.

In response, more than 10,000 people have signed a petition calling for Melissa Calhoun, a teacher with more than a decade of experience, to keep her job at Satellite High School.

Newsweek contacted Satellite High School via email for comment on Thursday.

Why It Matters

In July 2023, the Florida Legislature passed House Bill 1069, aimed at "woke gender ideology," which among other things banned public school employees from referring to a student by a "personal title or pronouns that do not align with the person's sex."

In response, the Florida State Board of Education introduced a rule requiring parental consent for parents to use any name for a student other than their legal name.

What To Know

In a statement provided to Newsweek, Brevard Public Schools chief strategic communications officer Janet Murnaghan said they had been contacted by a parent who complained that their child was being referred to "by a name other than their legal name" by Calhoun.

In response, it launched an investigation, with Calhoun admitting to the district that she "knowingly did not comply" with the rule on needing parental consent to change names in response to which she "received a letter of reprimand."

Calhoun is on a 10-month contract that ends in May, and the district decided not to renew it "until the issue is resolved with the state."

Prior to joining Satellite High School, Calhoun taught at neighboring DeLaura Middle School for 11 years.

As of 10:47 a.m. ET on Thursday, some 10,242 people had signed a petition on the Change.org website calling on Brevard Public Schools to "Reinstate Ms. Calhoun."

The petition said Calhoun was being "punished merely for showing respect to a student's choices," adding that she "is an embodiment of what proper education should be: inclusive, understanding, and respectful of individuality."

Florida House Bill 1069 also resulted in a number of books being removed from school libraries in the state because they allegedly contained inappropriate content for children, sparking condemnation from author Stephen King.

What People Are Saying

Kristine Staniec, another Satellite High School employee, at a school board meeting on Tuesday: "The teacher made a difference in her classroom and in the lives of our students, including my own child. She deserved more than a quiet exit. She deserved fairness, context and compassion.

"There was no harm, no threat to safety, no malicious intent, just a teacher trying to connect with a student."

Joanna, one of those who signed the Change.org petition in support of Calhoun, wrote: "I extend my strongest recommendation for the reinstatement of Melissa Calhoun at Satellite High School. I have known her since she was 16 as a student in my classroom, and I have watched her flourish as a teacher in her adulthood, from her work at DeLaura Middle School where she inspired so many young people including our son, to her work at Satellite High School where she has not only poured her heart into teaching but also to developing strong bonds with students and their families. She truly is the best of the best. Please reinstate her. It is unquestionably the right thing to do."

Brevard Public Schools chief strategic communications officer Janet Murnaghan: "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...

"After the accusation was made, the district conducted a detailed investigation. Based on the teacher's own admission that she knowingly did not comply with state statute she received a letter of reprimand. Teachers, like all employees, are expected to follow the law.

"The teacher is working under a ten-month contract that expires in May 2025. Since the state will be reviewing her teaching certificate based on these actions, the district decided not to renew the annual contract until the issue is resolved with the state."

What Happens Next

Considering the support Calhoun has attracted, Brevard Public Schools will come under significant pressure to extend her contract at Satellite High School.

Update 4/11/25, 3:04 a.m. ET: This story has been updated to note Janet Murnaghan's statement was also sent to Newsweek.