Latest news with #SatelliteHighSchool
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
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
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
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
District says law forced Brevard teacher's job loss: What does statute say?
In the wake of a Brevard teacher losing her job as a result of using a student's preferred name without parental consent, questions have arisen about what the Florida law actually says. Does it ban shortened forms of students' birth names, or just names chosen based on a transgender identity? What kind of punishment is mandated for educators who break the law? Could the teacher in this case, Melissa Calhoun, an AP English teacher at Satellite High School, lose her teaching certification? It's the first known case of an educator losing their job as a result of Florida's ban on using students' preferred names without parental permission. Since Tuesday, students have rallied to support Calhoun. A gathering was held outside the school Thursday afternoon to protest her contract not being renewed, and an online petition gained more than 22,800 signatures by Friday afternoon. Students gathered after school at Satellite High Thursday to protest the non-renewal of teacher Melissa Calhoun's contract. Parents' responses were mixed. Some stood in support of her, while others said her actions were not only in violation of the law, but also parents' rights. Calhoun did not respond to multiple requests for comment. The parent of the student in question declined to comment. Here's what the law lays out — and how it came to be — and what the district and community are saying. District cites Florida statute in teacher non-renewal After an online petition began circulating Tuesday to reinstate Calhoun, Brevard Public Schools cited Florida law and parental rights as the reason behind her contract not being renewed. "Brevard Public Schools 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. This directly violates state law and the district's standardized process for written parental consent," BPS Spokesperson Janet Murnaghan said in a statement to FLORIDA TODAY. John Thomas, the only school board members to respond after multiple requests for comment from FLORIDA TODAY, echoed Murnaghan's sentiment, adding that Calhoun's teaching certification may be in jeopardy due to her actions. "Brevard Public Schools has a clear responsibility to uphold the law, respect parental rights and maintain a strong focus on academic excellence in every classroom," he said. "In accordance with state policy, when a potential violation of the law occurs in the classroom, the Florida Department of Education conducts an independent review of both the incident and the educator's certification. Renewing a teacher's contract while their certification is under active review would not only be inappropriate, but also unfair to our students and school community." Murnaghan said after the student's parent made an accusation that Calhoun was using an alternative name to refer to the student, the district conducted an investigation, during which Calhoun said she "knowingly did not comply with state statute." She was given a letter of reprimand, and the district opted not to renew her contract, which will expire in May of this year. In her statement to FLORIDA TODAY, Murnaghan emphasized the importance of parental rights. "BPS supports parents' rights to be the primary decision-makers in their children's lives, and Florida law affirms their right to be informed," she said. "At BPS our focus is on education — teachers are here to teach and support students academically. Our job is to work in partnership with parents and guardians to ensure student success." Thomas called it a "regrettable situation." "Regardless of personal views on the issue, the laws enacted by our state legislature must be upheld," he said. "It is regrettable when an individual chooses to disregard those laws — particularly when it results in serious consequences for someone who may have otherwise had a exemplary career. That represents a loss not only for the individual, but potentially for our students and the broader school community." Breaking it down: What does Florida law say? Florida first introduced legislation in 2022 limiting classroom instruction related to gender and sexual orientation with HB 1557, also known as the "Parental Rights in Education" bill or the "Don't Say Gay" bill. But it wasn't until the next year that they began legislating the use of chosen names and pronouns. It started in 2023 with HB 1069, which says no one at a public Florida K-12 school — including students — can be required to refer to anyone by a preferred personal title or pronoun if "such personal title or pronouns do not correspond to that person's sex." Schools must acknowledge that sex is an "immutable biological trait and that it is false to ascribe" a preferred pronoun that "does not correspond to such person's sex," the law says. Students can't be asked by educators to provide a preferred pronoun or title, though it doesn't say they can't voluntarily provide these. The law, signed into law in May of that year, said it was up to the Florida Board of Education to adopt rules to administer this guidance, as well as other LGBTQ-related issues addressed within the text. The board's rules, also signed into law in 2023, did just that: They created rules targeting LGBTQ students and school employees, from stymying classroom instruction around sexual orientation and gender to the use of bathrooms. As for pronouns and personal titles, starting in the 2023-2024 school year, students were required to get parental consent via a signed form if they wanted 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. In the Brevard case, students and community members believed the student wanted to go by a name related to a transgender identity. Another rule said educators were not allowed to go by personal titles or pronouns that did not correspond with their sex assigned at birth — a rule that has been partially blocked by a federal judge after teachers sued multiple parties including the state department of education, Hillsborough County School Board, Lee County School Board and Florida Virtual School Board of Trustees. This law did not say students could not go by a preferred pronoun. Trump pushing for national ban on preferred names In an executive order issued Jan. 29 titled "Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling," President Donald Trump laid the groundwork for how the nation may see anti-trans rules in education similar to Florida's. The order does not supersede federal laws and statutes. Trump's order threatens to pull funding for numerous reasons in K-12 schools, including for "treatment and indoctrination" based on "gender ideology and discriminatory equity ideology." It also dictates that an "Ending Indoctrination Strategy" must include a summary on how federal funding directly or indirectly supports instruction or programs related to LGBTQ or other DEI issues in both student curriculum and activities and teacher education and training. The order says funding should be pulled from schools not only for instruction or "promotion" of transgender-related issues, but also if a school is found to have been involved in the social transition of a minor. Social transition does not include medical steps such as taking hormone suppressants, also known as puberty blockers, or supplemental hormones like testosterone or estrogen. Rather, it can involve going by another name and pronouns, wearing different clothing and being socially treated as the gender the person aligns with. The order also threatens to have Attorney General Pam Bondi coordinate with state and local attorney generals to "file appropriate actions" against schools and teachers who "unlawfully facilitate the social transition of a minor." Parental rights vs. the First Amendment Conservatives have been staunchly opposed to transgender students using a preferred name, particularly without a parents' knowledge, for several years. In Brevard, the birthplace of Moms for Liberty — a conservative group that touts itself as a champion for parental rights — the debate about the ethics of allowing a child to go by a chosen name has exploded since news broke of Calhoun's contract not being renewed. Brevard Moms for America, a chapter of a conservative group that calls itself a "national movement of moms reclaiming our culture for truth, family freedom and the constitution," has shared numerous posts to their Facebook page this week about parental rights and detransitioning, or the act of discontinuing gender-affirming care or attempting to reverse gender-affirming interventions. On Thursday, they shared a link to a Joe Rogan podcast with Abigail Shrier, the author of "Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters," a book that's come under fire for its endorsement of the concept of rapid-onset gender dysphoria, a condition that has not received wide scientific support. "In the midst of media fueled confusion, we share this powerful message about the importance of keeping parents in the driver's seat when it comes to our kids' education and well-being," the caption said. "Together, we can make a difference — because no one knows our children better than we do." At an April 8 Brevard school board meeting, a parent holds up a sign in support of a Satellite High teacher whose annual contract was not renewed after she called a student by their preferred name without parental consent. While neither Moms for Liberty's Brevard chapter nor the organization's co-founders Tina Descovich and Tiffany Justice have directly referenced the issue on their public platforms, on Tuesday — the day the petition for Calhoun's reinstatement began circulating — Descovich shared a Fox News article with a quote from America First League's Ian Prior, the law firm's senior counselor. "Students should not have their First, Fourth, and Fourteenth Amendment Rights sacrificed at the altar of radical transgender madness and the woke government bureaucrats that view the Constitution as nothing more than toilet paper should face the long arm of our Justice Department," Prior said, with Descovich sharing the quote. While he spoke against transgender students, others have questioned if Florida's laws targeting transgender students infringe upon the students' and teachers' First Amendment rights. ACLU of Florida issued a statement to FLORIDA TODAY late Friday, in which they said both teachers and students do not lose their First Amendment rights in a classroom setting. "Requiring a signed permission slip to call a student anything other than their legal name is just one example of Florida's government overreach," the organization said. "But if school districts are arbitrarily disciplining teachers for this 'infraction,' it would raise constitutional concerns of viewpoint discrimination." The statement went on to detail that if teachers who use shortened forms of students' birth names are not punished as Calhoun was for using a name related to a student's gender identity, there may be an issue of viewpoint discrimination from the district. During a rally at the school, Robert Jones, a parent of a Satellite High student, said he felt the whole issue violated the student's rights. "I've always been of the perspective that the Constitution protects children as well as adults," Jones said. "It honestly seems like a basic violation of the First Amendment and freedom of speech." In a joint press release from Youth Action Fund, Moms for Libros, National Parents Union, Defense of Democracy and Our Florida, Florida Defense of Democracy's Volunteer State Director Amy Roub said Calhoun was upholding "the core values of inclusivity and respect that every learning environment should foster" — and that she was punished for doing so. "Ms. Calhoun stood up for her student," Roub said. "Now it's time for us to stand up for her." Finch Walker is the education reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at fwalker@ X: @_finchwalker. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: What does Florida law say on teachers calling students by chosen names?
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Live updates: Community to rally for Satellite High teacher at Brevard school board meeting
Following nearly a month of public outcry in response to a high school teacher's contract not being renewed because she used a student's chosen name without parental consent, a protest in her support was scheduled to be held ahead of the May 6 Brevard school board meeting. Brevard Public Schools opted not to renew the annual contract of Melissa Calhoun, an AP English teacher at Satellite High School, after the parent of a student reported that Calhoun was using their child's chosen name without parental consent, according to BPS Spokesperson Janet Murnaghan. Under a 2023 Florida Board of Education rule, educators must obtain parental permission before using any alternative to a student's legal name, whether that be a shortened form of their birth name or a chosen name associated with their gender identity. In this case, classmates and community members said the student — a 17-year-old who is also dual enrolled at Eastern Florida State College — went by a name related to their gender identity. Neither the parent nor Calhoun, the first known Florida educator to lose her job due to the 2023 rule, have commented. Protestors have gathered repeatedly in support of Calhoun, most recently at the April 22 school board meeting, where board member John Thomas made a motion to retrain Calhoun on the name rule and renew her contract. Every other member of the school board shot him down. 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. Since then, former school board member Jennifer Jenkins said at least two teachers have been investigated by the district in connection to Facebook comments they've made expressing support for students who wish to go by another name, though the context of the post on which they were commenting was not immediately known. Jenkins said teachers have been asked questions about whether or not they refer to students by their given names, display pride flags or keep banned books in their classrooms. She added that at least 24 students have been questioned about the two teachers' actions. Murnaghan did not comment on whether or not students were questioned, but said any complaints made to the district are required to be investigated under Florida law. "There are investigations across the district on a variety of topics," she said in an email to FLORIDA TODAY on May 2, adding that she could not release information about active investigations. Protestors in support of Calhoun planned to gather at 4:30 p.m. ahead of the May 6 meeting, which was scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. Check back for live updates beginning at 5:30 p.m. Finch Walker is the education reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at fwalker@ X: @_finchwalker. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Protest for teacher to be held ahead of Brevard school board meeting
