Latest news with #MelissaCalhoun
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Parent claims Florida teacher 'groomed' child to become gay, internal investigation says
The Brief Brevard Public Schools released a report after investigating a parent's claim that Satellite High School teachers were "grooming" her child to transition and become gay. The report detailed the steps officials took before deciding on disciplinary action. While a reprimand was recommended, the superintendent ultimately chose not to renew the teacher's contract. VIERA, Fla. - Brevard Public Schools (BPS) conducted a weeks-long investigation and released a 128-page report that details the steps officials took before deciding not to renew a Satellite High School teacher's contract. What we know Melissa Calhoun taught at Satellite High School for several years but was caught up in controversy when BPS says she broke the state law about using nicknames for students. According to the law, teachers have to have written permission from the parent in order to call a child by a name other than the name assigned at birth. The district started an investigation after a school board member contacted the principal because a parent said her child was being encouraged to transition by teachers at school. The district had several meetings with Calhoun, who said she didn't know where to find the permission slips online for student's nicknames. She also said she had not discussed transitioning with the student at all during the class. Parents and community members held another rally in support of the teacher on Tuesday before the regularly scheduled school board meeting. What we don't know It's unclear when the state will wrap up its investigation into whether Calhoun will stay certified to teach in the state. That investigation is still ongoing at this point. The district could hire Calhoun back but so far, it's unclear if they would in this situation. What they're saying In the report, several quotes were listed from the parent and teacher. "Both DeLaura Middle School and Satellite High School faculty members have been influencing and grooming her daughter to transition and to be gay," the report reads. The parent said teachers were calling her child by the "student's preferred male nickname." The school principal confronted Calhoun who said she had "no clue" calling the student that name was an issue and "she was not intentionally being malicious or breaking the policy." A school spokesperson explained in a statement to FOX 35 why the district decided not to renew the teacher's contract instead of just sending the letter of reprimand. "The decision was made by Dr. Rendell based on uncertainty surrounding the state's response to the incident. We do not have any historical data to guide us on a FLDOE [Florida Department of Education] response to this violation. We do not want to start the 2025-2026 school year with a teacher whose license may be revoked by the state…" STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO: Download the FOX Local app for breaking news alerts, the latest news headlines Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for weather alerts & radar Sign up for FOX 35's daily newsletter for the latest morning headlines FOX Local:Stream FOX 35 newscasts, FOX 35 News+, Central Florida Eats on your smart TV The Source FOX 35's Reporter Esther Bower read through the report after it was sent to her by a district spokesperson. She also emailed for a statement asking why the district decided not to renew her contract. She was given one on May 20, 2025. She's been covering this ongoing situation for weeks and has attended other protests and rallies that have been organized for the teacher.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Multiple teachers investigated in relation to use of student's chosen name at Satellite High
Multiple Satellite High teachers were investigated in relation to a high school student who asked to go by another name without written parental consent, though only one received a letter of reprimand and later did not have her contract renewed, according to a district spokesperson. Melissa Calhoun, an AP English teacher at Satellite High School, "knowingly did not comply" with Florida law that requires parental consent for students to go by any alternative to their legal name, according to Brevard Public Schools Spokesperson Janet Murnaghan. Calhoun's contract wasn't renewed for the 2025-2026 school year, as her teaching credentials are now under review by the Florida Department of Education. She is the first known educator to suffer job loss in relation to the 2023 law. The student in question wanted to be known by a name related to their gender identity, according to school and community members. Calhoun wasn't the only teacher investigated in relation to the use of the student's chosen name. Multiple other teachers were investigated, Murnaghan said April 21 in response to a FLORIDA TODAY question, but none of the others were reprimanded. Murnaghan did not specify how many teachers were included in the investigation. Under a Florida law, signed in 2023 by Gov. Ron DeSantis, parents must sign a form if their child wishes to go by any alternative to their legal name, whether that be a shortened form of their given name or a chosen name related to their gender identity. "This was not a simple case of someone named Madison wanting to go by Maddie, for example, or a Nicholas wanting to go by Nic," School Board member Katye Campbell wrote in a letter, responding to constituents who reached out about the issue. Since news broke regarding Calhoun's contract not being renewed, a groundswell of support for her has developed around the county, with Satellite High students, parents and alumni largely leading the movement. Two peaceful protests were held — one on April 10 outside the school and the other on April 18 within walking distance. Multiple students reported being suspended for participating in a walkout, though Murnaghan disputed this. "No students were suspended at Satellite High School in relation to Ms. Calhoun's non-renewal," Murnaghan said. Teachers also received an email from BPS' HR department warning them not to participate in a strike after a social media post went up about a statewide call-out in support of Calhoun. Here's what we know. Students at Satellite High planned a walkout for fifth period on April 10. But upon receiving warning from the school that day that walking out could result in suspensions, they quickly changed plans, instead opting to write an email in class to Florida representatives, then meet in the courtyard with signs after school. A photo taken on April 10 from inside a Satellite High classroom that was shared with FLORIDA TODAY, showed an email sent to teachers from the school's principal, Courtney Lundy. In the message, Lundy told teachers to remind students that they could not skip class or leave campus. "Leaving campus, as always, results in suspension," Lundy wrote, though she did not specify how long the suspensions would last or if they would be in-school or out-of-school suspensions. Leaving campus without permission is punishable by placement at an alternative classroom, extended detention, financial restitution, in-school suspension or out-of-school suspension for one to five days, according to BPS' Student Code of Conduct. A Satellite High student was given a suspension for the use of vulgar language in a profanity-laced email she sent to school board members outside of school hours from her personal email account, according to records sent to FLORIDA TODAY from a former district employee. In the email, sent on April 12 -- a Saturday -- the student tells board members that she doesn't feel they understand what is going on at the school and that a parent should not have a "right over there (sic) kids." "I learn more off social media then your stupid (expletive) teaching lessons," she said. "The brevard county public schools has done nothing but prepared me for failure so i hope you're happy. The way you guys run (expletive) is not right and it's stupid." School Board member Megan Wright responded, including the student's mother, Superintendent Mark Rendell and the school principal, saying she understood the community's frustration but didn't understand how "this type of email and language will achieve anything productive to the situation." "Should you want to have a productive conversation where you can voice your concerns like a respectable person, I welcome that opportunity!" Wright wrote in an email obtained by FLORIDA TODAY. "But sending emails with curse words and insults isn't going to get you anywhere but in trouble." The student, who wrote an apology back to Wright, was given a suspension for one day, with the school citing the use of profane language as the reason for the suspension. The school noted that the student's parent could schedule a conference with the school's assistant principal or dean to dispute the suspension, with the student not allowed to return to class in the meantime. The student code of conduct addresses the use of obscenities, listing it as a level one behavior, in other words, a "relatively minor misbehavior ... that affects the orderly operation on a school campus, a school bus/bus stop, at a school/school board sponsored function or while at other school board facilities." According to the code of conduct, students are to follow the code's rules "while at school or at a school sponsored activity and to expect consequences for any inappropriate behavior." The student declined to comment to FLORIDA TODAY, and the district spokeswoman didn't directly address this incident in an email responding to FLORIDA TODAY questions. Wright didn't respond to an email seeking comment. Concerns arose among district staff during the week of April 17 regarding the potential of a coordinated teacher call-out in the coming days, according to email records forwarded to FLORIDA TODAY by Murnaghan. On April 17, Ryan Dufrain, assistant superintendent of human resources at Brevard Public Schools, sent out an email to educators saying they could not participate in a strikes or coordinated work stoppages under Florida law and the union's collective bargaining agreement. He also wrote to Anthony Colucci, president of Brevard Federation of Teachers, and other union leadership to alert them to his concerns and ask that they discourage participation in a call-out. "We ask for your assistance in discouraging any actions that could disrupt learning, violate contractual provisions or put employees at risk of avoidable consequences," Dufrain said. "If there are unresolved concerns or pressures that are driving these discussions, we remain open to continued dialogue and collaboration through the appropriate labor-management channels." Dufrain didn't say what prompted his emails, though a graphic posted to Facebook urged teachers statewide to call out in support of Calhoun on April 21. No name or organization was attached to the graphic, and it did not receive broad circulation. Participating in a call-out could result in "loss of pay for unauthorized absences, requirement to submit medical documentation or disciplinary action," Dufrain said, citing Florida law, which prohibits public employees from striking. "We want to be clear: This is not intended to silence concerns," he said in his email to educators. "We encourage employees to continue raising issues through the appropriate channels, including your union representatives and district leadership. Constructive dialogue remains the most effective path forward." The social media post continued to gain little traction throughout the day Monday, and no reports were made of teachers attempting to strike. Finch Walker is the education reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at fwalker@ X: @_finchwalker. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Multiple Brevard teachers investigated over chosen name issue
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Recap: Motion to retrain Satellite High teacher over naming issue fails at Brevard Schools
In the wake of Brevard Public Schools opting not to renew a high school teacher's contract after she used a student's chosen name without parental consent, a protest was held ahead of the April 22 school board meeting. The district's decision not to renew the annual contract of Melissa Calhoun, an AP English teacher at Satellite High School, came after she "knowingly" defied Florida's law requiring parental consent to use an alternative to a student's legal name, according to BPS Spokesperson Janet Murnaghan. The law, signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2023, applies to both shortened forms of a legal name and names related to a student's gender identity. This was a case related to the student's gender identity, classmates and community members said. The student is 17. Calhoun will finish out the year at Satellite High, but with her teaching credentials under review with the Florida Department of Education, the district will not keep her on for the 2025-2026 school year. The school board meeting concluded five hours after it began. Nearly all public comments addressed the non-renewal of Calhoun's contract. Julia, a student who also spoke earlier during the meeting, told the board they were hurting students by not reinstating Calhoun. "You are piercing a hole in our hearts, in every student at Satellite High School," she said. "I was going to have her as a teacher next year." Moricz called on the board again to reinstate Calhoun, saying they were choosing to ignore students by opting not to. "A teacher shortage is never an excuse to lower standards or start breaking the rules, but allowing a qualified educator to become vilified -- that's not holding the standards, that's holding us back," he said. Allison Newman, a graduate from Brevard Public Schools, spoke on her experience of being groomed by a teacher who was "put on a pedestal." Calhoun's actions, she said, were not the same. "You have a choice in this moment," she said. "You can choose to really examine what safety really looks like in our schools ... or you can continue to enter the culture wars or dive deeper into this manufactured scenario where we're all just trying to get political attention." Amy Roub asked parents in the room to raise their hands, then said the board didn't respect any of them. "They respect one parent to get rid of the teacher that has touched over 3,000 lives," she said. "How does that make any sense? ... Get your boot off of Calhoun's neck." She asked if Wright's goal was to make trans kids feel that they couldn't go to any adults. "You love your boot on trans kids. You love punching down," she said. A student from Viera High brought up concerns about his school's sex education book, saying the chapter on sex abuse was being removed by the district. The meeting continued four hours past its start time, with public comment still going. Only one person at this point in the whole meeting had one person spoken in support of the decision to not renew Calhoun's contract. Beckett Casmere, a current student of Calhoun, said her excellence as a teacher is what led to her decision to call her student by their chosen name. "It is because of this dedication that Ms. Calhoun's contract was not renewed," he said. "It is because she chose to respect a student as opposed to respecting a policy born out of prejudice and fear mongering. This is a travesty of justice." Paul Roub criticized the district for not listening to the community and students. "You are caving to the most authoritarian urges and the worst parents in town, as you always do," he said. "The bullies don't need your help. The kids who need your help, the ones who Ms. Calhoun respects, you're abandoning them." Tyler, a graduate from Brevard Public Schools, said that's the name they've gone by for seven years. At school, they had teachers they trusted, they said. "I had teachers like her ... who are safe to go to, who called me by my preferred name," they said. "I'm disappointed." Julia Ackerman said teachers "deserve real support, not constant pressure and disrespect." "As students, we feel ignored and devalued," she said. "There are more pressing issues in the world than a teacher using a name. We need real change, not empty words from people who rather use us as a stepping stone for political gain." Aidan McFadden, a former student of Calhoun, expressed the impact she had on his life. "She really made all of the content that we learned in her class engaging and didn't just treat her students with respect, but challenged us to do our best in all aspects of our lives," he said. Braden Riley, a former Satellite High student, asked if the board cares about students' best interest. "I don't know about you guys, but I don't see any students coming here to speak to say they want books banned, and I also don't see any students coming up here to say that they want Calhoun fired," he said. Commenters were still going strong at 9:10 p.m., more than three and a half hours after the start of the meeting. Cousins said the form parents must fill out for a student to go by another name is a poor process. "The student's parents never submitted the deviation from name form," she said. "A lot of parents don't because the districts don't remind you every year, and most people don't even know that exists." FLORIDA TODAY repeatedly reached out to the parent to request a comment on the situation, but they declined to comment. Another speaker asked the board to consider the optics of the multiple recesses they held earlier during the meeting. "All we wanted was to be heard, particularly during the recorded portion of this meeting," she said, adding that while she applauded Thomas' effort to keep Calhoun in her position, retraining isn't the answer. "The rule is cruel and unjust." Beau Culpepper, a veteran, former high school teacher and Republican, said he felt the handling of Calhoun's non-renewal was wrong. "If you disagree with what I'm saying, go home tonight and read the Sermon on the Mount," he said. "That's what we're all supposed to do. And if that doesn't satisfy you, go read the Constitution." Castellana, whose family member is a classmate of the student known by their chosen name, said the student went by their chosen name for five years and questioned the handling of Calhoun's choice to call them by that name. "We all know we have vacancies throughout the county, and regardless of the board's efforts, teachers are not knocking down the doors to teach in one of our lowest paid counties in the lowest paid state," she said. Another speaker, a parent, said her child has been repeatedly cut off while addressing the board over the past several years. "You repeatedly disrespect kids the whole time," she told the board. Bernard Bryan, education chair with South Brevard NAACP, quoted Pope Francis, saying, "How am I to judge?" He brought up the reading struggles of kids in marginalized and asked the board to address these issues. After a lengthy recess, during which many audience members cleared out of the room, non-agenda public comment began. Comments ranged from concerns about current bills making their way through the Florida legislature related to education, anxiety about corruption on the board, the reassignment of Anderson to Saturn Elementary School before she was placed on paid administrative leave again and the non-renewal of Calhoun's contract. After addressing numerous issues, Jenkins addressed the Satellite High student who asked to go by a name different from their legal name. "To the student involved in all of this, you are respected, you are affirmed, it was not a bad decision and nobody needs to retrained," Jenkins said. Thomas said he supports parental rights, but the punishment may not fit the crime. "We (would be) keeping a teacher," he said. "It's not criminal. It wasn't corrupting public morals. It didn't hurt any kid -- there was no kid that was put in harm's way." Trent said he supported Rendell, saying they couldn't make both sides happy. "I'm sure she whole-heartedly believes in what she did," he said. "You mentioned it didn't do any harm to the student. I think I would talk to the parent about that first." The vote failed one to four, with only Thomas voting in support of retraining Calhoun. Thomas made a motion to retrain Calhoun, and Trent seconded it. Board members talked about the possibility of renewing her contract, with Campbell kicking off the discussion. "It's Dr. Rendell's decision, and I just -- I have a hesitation on that," she said. "We're not saying that she can't ever come back, but there's a pause on that. That is the way that it stands right now." Wright said she's "felt the frustration" everyone on the board has felt, adding that the board didn't make the decision. "At the end of the day, I have to side with the parents," she said, adding that if her daughters were going through a "major identity crisis" and she wasn't told about it, it would be a problem. "Parental rights exist for a reason, they exist because of things that have happened in the past around our state that are horrific and cause major damage in families." Susin said he supported Rendell's decision with little comment. Board Member John Thomas brought up the possibility of possibly reinstating Calhoun within the district, though he chastised the audience for their outbursts throughout the meeting. "I am suggesting to the board extending to the superintendent a united call for pause and reevaluate his decision not to renew the contract of Ms. Calhoun," he said, reading from a prepared statement. "I ask my colleagues on the board and our community to consider, are our students, our schools in our district stronger with Ms. Calhoun in the classroom, or stronger without her?" He suggests that Calhoun be retrained, the training be documented, the district notify the Florida Department of Education of her retraining and they review her contract for the following year. The school board approved three items under the action portion of the agenda, including the public hearing officer's recommendation to accept Ramsey's financial literacy instructional material as district-wide curriculum. They made no comment on any item. The board approved numerous policies that were up for a public hearing, with the public opting not to comment on most items except for the policy addressing student and parent rights. Kelly Kervin said she liked that, under the new policy, parents will be informed if their students are showing deficiency in math and reading. She'd like to see it expanded potentially to help students get accommodations more quickly. Colomberti said students deserve to be in environments where they can develop emotional intelligence and compassion on top of their academic skills, adding that students should be allowed to be called by their chosen names. "I am terribly concerned that instead of preparing the youth to be active participants in our society, we are setting them up to be exploited laborers -- and I can't even get eye contact from half of you right now," she said. Another speaker addressed the rights of the student who was suspended after sending a profane email and students who were threatened with suspensions if they were to participate in a walkout at Satellite High School. Erika Orriss, a mental health counselor, thanked the board for honoring parental rights, saying Calhoun's actions weren't about a nickname, but rather gender identity. The law, as it is written, requires parental consent for any deviation from a legal name. "Our children are our greatest resource," she said. "They need protection. Teachers are looked upon by both students as a figure of influence and authority, and they must adhere to a higher standard, which means they must adhere to the law." She spoke on gender dysphoria as a mental illness that impacts young girls at a higher rate than males and received boos and jeers from the audience. Another mental health counselor and mother spoke, saying it's her parental right to have her children be taught by teachers who are compassionate and dedicated to their jobs. A student who said they have a "connection with gender dysphoria" spoke on the research about transgender people, saying that the best way to help keep transgender people alive and thriving is to affirm them. "Gender affirming care starts with pronouns and a name," they said. "That, while it seems small, creates an immeasurable difference in the mental health of a transgender child. ... To do a one- or two-day turnaround for a form might seem irrelevant, but to someone who doesn't feel comfortable in their own skin, that is torture." Gregory Ross brought up the list of reappointed teachers, asking why certain teachers weren't reappointed. "Due process. That's what's lacking here," he said, adding that accused people have a right to a hearing. A Satellite High student spoke on the impact of teachers, saying that having a good teacher can shape a person's life. "Not having good teachers also makes a big difference," she said. "Teachers really are important, and having teachers that inspire makes a difference, and they hold a lot of power." Sebastian Martinez also spoke on the importance of teachers, saying it can't be measured and that when considering if a teacher should be renewed for the following year, one should consider what kind of environment they create for their students. "I just want you to always consider to keep all the good teachers you have, especially when there's a teacher shortage in this county and all across the state," he said. Agenda-related public comment concluded. Rendell told the audience that Calhoun would not have been listed on the agenda item audience members have been referencing even if she had been renewed. Amy Roub asked if the board considered students when they chose to hire or fire a teacher. "Look at this," she said, pointing at the audience. "It's only going to get worse. We're not going to back down. This is only the beginning. Stop firing good teachers." She asked Wright when the last time was that she sat down with a transgender student or parent, and her microphone was cut off. Susin smiled and shook his head, with the audience lashing out in response. "It's not funny, Matt," an audience member shouted. "Is that what we pay your for? To smirk?" another person said. Two people flipped the board off and called them fascists as the pair exited the room. Susin returned partway through public comments. The focus continued to stay largely on Calhoun, though other issues like abuse of power and the Ramsey curriculum were mentioned as well. Speakers were repeatedly halted and told to speak at the end of the meeting. Jenkins brought up a student who was suspended after sending an email using profanity over the weekend, saying such a punishment is not supposed to be used when an offense is committed off campus. "Here is the irony: If that student came here and read that exact same email with every single word here at this podium, they can't be disciplined," she said. "For the love of God, please stop walking taxpayers into First Amendment lawsuits." Speakers continued, and while they strayed from agenda items, they were allowed to continue. Bill Pearlman asked the board to not punish compassion, saying he is disappointed in the board for using the most "extreme" and "disruptive" option by not rehiring Calhoun. "There is no law or policy this extreme reaction," he said. "You say a law was violated. I argue that the law puts the wishes of a misguided parent over an emerging adult, and that is a misguided law." Kelly Colomberti, a former BPS student talks about the impact teachers had on her during her education. "They need to be retained in Brevard County, as long as they are willing to accept the ridiculous treatment that we put them through for teaching, for treating students with respect," she said. Initially, the board said she would be the last person to speak on agenda items, though about a dozen people said they had signed up to speak on agenda items. The district reconsidered and allowed them to speak. The board returned without Board Vice Chair Matt Susin just after 6:35 p.m., with Trent saying audience members who cause a disturbance will be removed and trespassed. "If you sign up for an agenda, please, just speak to that agenda item," he said, with the audience shouting over him. "I tried to speak to an agenda item, and you cut me off!" an audience member shouted. Authorities attempted to remove Shears after she shouted, though she was already on her way out. Rendell and all board members but Megan Wright exited the room. Speakers continued to speak with phones out to record. Jenkins say board members who walked out called the audience "deplorables." The audience booed. One speaker, who has signed the nickname form for her own child, called it a "ridiculous waste of time." "Ms. Calhoun did nothing other than respect her student's choice," she said, adding that Calhoun should be rewarded, not punished. The board filed back in to boos from the crowd, and public comment continued. Jen Cousins, the chair of Florida's GLSEN chapter, gave the board handouts about public schools in the state. She discussed the significant rates of discrimination against trans students in Florida schools. Gibbs attempted to stop her, but the crowd said she could continue, saying it fell under "student rights," which was on the agenda. Her microphone was cut off, but she continued. "What Ms. Calhoun did was life support for this student," she said. "Ma'am, I'm going to go ahead and stop you," Board Chair Gene Trent said. The board spoke amongst themselves as the crowd shouted that their First Amendment rights were being violated. Protestors planned how to continue the meeting after the board exited. Former school board member Jennifer Jenkins stood up and spoke to the room. "I dare them to continue to shut you down,' she shouted. "They've got a class-action lawsuit waiting to happen." Moricz told everyone to shoot selfie-style videos. "Your First Amendment rights are being violated," he said. "We need to humanize that. It's not happening to a crowd. It's happening to you and you and you and you and you." He stood at the front of the room, shooting a video and filming the crowd shouting. Superintendent Mark Rendell sat quietly at the dais. At the start of the public comment portion of the meeting, Board Attorney Paul Gibbs warned the crowd that if they were planning to speak on Calhoun, they would be stopped and told to speak during the non-agenda public comments section. Commenters discussed teachers' and students' First Amendment rights and parental rights. Not all comments focused on Calhoun. Sharon Shear questioned why the board is planning to adopt the Dave Ramsey financial literacy program, saying that if the Biblical quotes came from another religion, they would not have chosen to adopt it. "I am calling the entire board full of religious exclusivism," she said. She also questioned why Karly Anderson, a teacher who was charged in connection with an alcohol-fueled teen party, was placed on paid leave. Gibbs attempted to cut her off but she continued. The board called a five-minute recess, and the crowd erupted in boos and jeers. Board members exited the room. At 6 p.m., Brevard Public Schools' human resources department discussed the "Building from Brevard" recruitment efforts, which works to bring students back to the district as teachers. Public comment related to agenda items was set to begin next. Audrey, a senior in Calhoun's class, told FLORIDA TODAY she feels Calhoun is not only a great teacher, but someone who shares great life lessons and is very involved in the community. "I think we're just running out of people that truly care about their students," she said. "(This) was a situation that never should have happened in the first place. So I hope that there's some justice out of this, or at least recognition as to how absurd this decision was." A little more than 75 people gathered outside Brevard Public Schools' Viera office an hour ahead of the 5:30 p.m. Zander Moricz, a plaintiff in the lawsuit challenging Florida's House Bill 1557, also known as the "Don't Say Gay" bill, and founder of Social Equity through Education Alliance, led the group in numerous chants in support of Calhoun. "We are here to hold that board accountable," he shouted. "Raise your hand if you've heard from this school board that they had no choice and they just can't reinstate Ms. Calhoun. That is a lie." Students and community members have organized multiple protests since news broke about her contract not being renewed on April 9, with a third scheduled for April 22 at 4:30 p.m. outside the Brevard school board meeting in Viera. The rally was organized by students in partnership with multiple advocacy organizations, including Brevard Public Schools Watch, GLSEN Central Florida, Defense of Democracy, Youth Action Fund and Our Florida. At 5:30 p.m., the meeting room was packed with parents, students and community members. Finch Walker is the education reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at fwalker@ X: @_finchwalker. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Brevard Schools opts not to retrain Satellite High teacher over name issue
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Board meeting: Advocates speak up for Satellite High teacher who used student's chosen name
A protest in the rain, a person escorted from the room and, to kick off public comments, a warning from the board chair that disruptions could lead to trespasses being issued. All of that transpired just before and in the first half of a nearly four-hour May 6 Brevarard school board meeting. And just as at the April 22 meeting, the evening was filled with public comment about the fate of a teacher whose contract was not renewed. More than 28 members of the public, young and old and of different political allegiance, signed up to voice their thoughts on Melissa Calhoun, whose tenure with Brevard Public Schools will end this month. The Satellite High AP English Literature teacher's departure comes after the district opted not to renew her contract because she used the chosen name of a 17-year-old dual-enrolled student in her class without parental permission — an action in violation of a 2023 Florida Board of Education rule. She is the first known educator in the state to suffer job loss in relation to the rule. Nearly every commenter urged the board and Superintendent Mark Rendell to reconsider their decision, speaking to her merits as an educator and as a compassionate person. Loren Kingsley, a teacher of 23 years at Brevard Public Schools, spoke of how Satellite High was "the happiest place on Earth" before the district opted not to renew Calhoun. But everything changed this spring, she said. "I'm here today because I'm grieving," she said. "With one rash decision, you've stolen a highly effective teacher's livelihood, (and) you've destroyed our entire school's culture." Over the course of the night, fewer people were complimentary toward the board's decision not to renew Calhoun. Karen Fulton, chair of the Brevard chapter of Moms for Liberty, thanked board members and Rendell for their choice. "I think teachers should stay in their lane," she said. "I think teachers should teach. It might not be popular, but that's what I think." Unlike the previous meeting, when board member John Thomas made a motion to retrain Calhoun and renew her contract — a move shot down by every other board member — the board made no comment about Calhoun, though Board Chair Gene Trent repeatedly interrupted speakers during the agenda-related portion of public comment to ask how their comments related to the agenda. Ahead of that, he cautioned the audience not to be disruptive. "A warning to those in attendance: If you cause a disruption, you will be asked to leave the premise," Trent said. "If you continue to cause disruption and/or fail to leave the premise, you are in violation of Florida state statute 877-13 and you will be committing trespass, and the board will enforce these rules." During the agenda-related public comment section, one speaker was escorted from the room after Trent interrupted the man's comment, saying the speaker wasn't addressing an agenda item. The speaker continued to talk and was removed from the meeting. About 25 protesters in support of Calhoun gathered ahead of the meeting. They first congregated under the building's portico, but were told by Brevard County Sheriff's deputies that they needed to stand outside despite the ongoing rain and lightning. Inside, additional supporters joined them to address the board. Nearly everyone spoke about Calhoun, though the focus of the comments ranged from supportive classroom environments to how using a student's preferred name can affect them. Ellen Tetlow brought up how she is known by multiple names and the impact that respecting someone's chosen name can have on them. Becky McAleenan also spoke of her personal experience with using a chosen name. "Allowing a teacher to call someone by the name they choose gives them confidence in their ability to discipline themselves," she said. "I didn't ever feel big enough to wear the name Rebecca, but I damn sure rock Becky." For Fulton, the issue wasn't so simple. "I think that in education, there is a team of people that affect the child, and I think when a teacher goes against the parents' wishes, then it drives a wedge in that team, and that is not good for anybody," the Moms for Liberty chapter chair said. "It's not good for the teacher, it's not good for the parents, it's not good for the student." But for several students who spoke at the May 6 meeting, it wasn't complicated — Calhoun was respecting the student and providing a safe environment. One student, Davin, said teachers like Calhoun make him feel safe. "I don't think you'll listen to me," he told the board. "I'm just a student, but I do know this: If someone asks me if I ever saw courage in action, I'm going to say yes. I saw it in my stepdad, I saw it in Ms. Calhoun and I see it every day in teachers who still care, even when you make it this hard." Multiple speakers criticized the district's decision to not renew Calhoun, raising questions about whether or not that punishment was too harsh and if the district was interpreting statute correctly. Neither the 2023 Florida Board of Education rule that requires parental permission for a student to go by any alternative to their legal name nor House Bill 1069, the law the rule is implementing, lay out a punishment for teachers who use a student's chosen name without parental permission. "(HB 1069) states that the school board is required to adopt procedures for notifying a student's parent if there is a change in the student's services," said Pamela Castellana, whose family member attends class with Calhoun's student who goes by a chosen name. "Using the same name the student had used for five years is literally the opposite of a change." Commenters also brought up that HB 1069 says educators can't be required to "refer to another person using that person's preferred personal title or pronouns if such personal title or pronouns do not correspond to that person's sex." "If a teacher can deny a name based on any grounds, regardless of parental consent, that tells us it's not about parental rights," said Travis Furst, a veteran, father of four BPS students, husband of a teacher and self-described Republican. "It's about enforcing one belief over another." Finch Walker is the education reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at fwalker@ X: @_finchwalker. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Community continues to urge Brevard Schools to renew Sat High teacher
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06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Citing parental rights, Brevard's school board won't renew contract of Satellite High teacher
Editor's Note: This story has been updated to clarify a comment made by a speaker who thanked the board for honoring parental rights. Brevard Public Schools' newest board member made a plea to the rest of the board during the April 22 meeting: Allow a Satellite High School teacher to undergo training regarding the use of students' chosen names and then reconsider renewing her contract. "This is not about overriding the superintendent," said John Thomas, who was elected to the District 3 seat formerly held by Jennifer Jenkins during the August 2024 primaries. "This is not about issuing a directive. This is about engaging the kind of thoughtful, principled leadership our community expects and our educators deserve." Thomas' call for the retraining of Melissa Calhoun, a Satellite High AP English teacher whose contract was not renewed after she used the chosen name of a 17-year-old student without parental permission, came amid a growing public outcry that erupted at the Tuesday night school board meeting. A petition, launched on April 8, to reinstate Calhoun has garnered nearly 55,000 signatures, and multiple rallies have been held around the county in support of Calhoun. Supporters gathered outside the Brevard Public Schools district office for a rally ahead of the meeting, then packed the board room and spoke multiple times in favor of keeping the teacher, with only one person commenting negatively on her in a meeting that stretched five hours. Board member John Thomas suggested the superintendent consider retraining Melissa Calhoun. The board voted 4 to 1 to uphold Melissa Calhoun's non-renewal. The April 22nd Brevard County school board meeting had the board walking out twice, the audience yelling out and people frustrated trying to talk during an agenda item. Calhoun is the first known Florida educator to suffer job loss as the result of a 2023 law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis that mandates that parents must sign a form if their child wishes to go by any alternative to their legal name, whether that be a nickname or a chosen name related to the child's gender identity. In this case, school and community members said the student in question went by another name related to their gender identity and had been doing so for years. The law does not say what the consequences are if a teacher fails to get parental consent before calling a student by another name. Brevard Schools chose not to renew the teacher's contract, noting she'd be under investigation by the state for violating the rule. "This is not a case with a pending criminal charge," Thomas said. "This is not a case of moral corruption. And no student was harmed, no child was put at risk. This is the case of poor judgment, a mistake, and like all of us, even good teachers are capable of making them." Ultimately, the four other members of Brevard's school board shot down Thomas' motion, citing parental rights. "You mentioned it didn't do any harm to the student," School Board Chair Gene Trent said. "I think I would talk to the parent about that first." Meeting marked by chaos The April 22 board meeting was chaotic, with commenters repeatedly getting cut off during the portion of public comment dedicated to agenda-related topics as Trent and Board Attorney Paul Gibbs accused them of straying to unrelated topics. Commenters argued that their concerns about Calhoun were related to the agenda, specifically policies on student and parent rights and the renewal of teacher contracts. The board called multiple recesses and left the board room, at which point the audience strategized how they were going to proceed. Throughout the meeting, audience members booed and jeered at the board. Several members were removed from the room. Zander Moricz, a plaintiff in the lawsuit challenging Florida's House Bill 1557, which critics call the "Don't Say Gay" bill, and founder of Social Equity through Education Alliance, stood at the front of the room and told audience members to shoot selfie-style videos. "Your First Amendment rights are being violated," he said. "We need to humanize that. It's not happening to a crowd. It's happening to you and you and you and you and you." Protesters in support of Melissa Calhoun, an AP English teacher at Satellite High School, rallied outside before the April 22 school board meeting in Viera. Calhoun's contact was not renewed for the 2025-26 school year. Board: 'Parental rights exist for a reason' Thomas' plea came about halfway through the meeting after hearing from the first round of public commenters. "There is no doubt her judgment failed when she chose to violate the (Florida Department of Education) rule," he said, adding that the decision to remove her was within the district's right. But it wasn't, he said, a punishment that fit the crime. He made a motion that Calhoun be retrained, that the training be documented and submitted to FLDOE and that the district review Calhoun's contract. Trent, Board Vice Chair Matt Susin and board members Megan Wright and Katye Campbell voted against the motion. "If my daughters were going through a major crisis, an identity crisis of who they were, and the person they're spending six hours a day with are not telling me that they're seeing something that's changing, specifically in my child, I've got a problem," Wright said, adding that the board should be more focused on the concerns of the student's parent than their own feelings. "At the end of the day, parents are the ones that get to direct what happens," she said. "Parental rights exist for a reason. They exist because of things that have happened around our state that are horrific and have caused major damage to families." Trent commended Superintendent Mark Rendell for not renewing Calhoun's contract, saying it was important to "(do) what's right, even when it's not popular." He added that he didn't want to retrain Calhoun. "I'm sure she wholeheartedly believes in what she did, and she deserves the right to do that," he said. Thomas clarified that he meant she should be retrained on the law, but Trent maintained his position. Campbell said Calhoun could always reapply for a job after the state education department reviewed her teaching credentials. "There is no reason why, depending on their decision, Ms. Calhoun wouldn't necessarily go back and apply for a job in Brevard, and those doors are open," she said. 'What Ms. Calhoun did was life support' People continued to speak in support of Calhoun, even after the board shot down the possibility of reinstating her. They also expressed compassion toward transgender students. Beau Culpepper, a veteran, former high school teacher and Republican, praised Calhoun for supporting her students. "We had a teacher that simply showed kindness and compassion for a student and removed a barrier to learning," he said, adding that not renewing her contract "sends the wrong message" to students. "If you disagree with what I'm saying, go home tonight and read the Sermon on the Mount ... and if that doesn't satisfy you, go read the Constitution, because that covers it, too." Erika Orriss, a licensed mental health counselor, was the only person to thank the board for honoring parental rights, saying Calhoun's actions weren't about a nickname, but rather gender affirmation and gender dysphoria. 'The parents need to be able to parent their children, not the schools,' said Orriss, who recently unsuccessfully ran for House representative District 33. She told FLORIDA TODAY that "75% of children who think they are transgender will outgrow it, if left to their own understanding and not affirmed by a teacher" without parental knowledge, citing a Dutch study from 2024. Jen Cousins, the chair of Florida's GLSEN chapter, discussed the rates of discrimination faced by transgender students in Florida's schools and commended Calhoun for her actions. "What Ms. Calhoun did was life support for this student," she said. A student who said they have a "connection with gender dysphoria" spoke on the research about transgender people, saying that the best way to help keep transgender students alive and thriving is to affirm them. "Gender affirming care starts with pronouns and a name," they said. "That, while it seems small, creates an immeasurable difference in the mental health of a transgender child. … To do a one- or two-day turnaround for a form might seem irrelevant, but to someone who doesn't feel comfortable in their own skin, that is torture." Michelle Spitzer contributed to this report. Finch Walker is the education reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at fwalker@ X: @_finchwalker. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Brevard school board won't retain Satellite High teacher over name issue
