Florida teacher loses job for using student’s chosen name in violation of state law

VIERA Fla AP School district administrators on Florida s Space Coast aren t renewing the contract of a facilitator who used a scholar s chosen name without getting permission from the trainee s parents in violation of Florida law Dozens of students and parents evidenced up in patronage of trainer Melissa Calhoun at a Brevard Community Schools board meeting Tuesday night demanding that her contract as an English mentor at Satellite High School be renewed The -year-old apprentice chose the preferred name to reflect the learner s gender identity and the mentor only was acting out of compassion according to the supporters Calhoun knowingly defied the law signed by Republican Gov Ron DeSantis in which requires parental consent to use an alternative to a trainee s legal name according to Janet Murnaghan a spokeswoman for the Brevard Society Schools Schools superintendent Mark Rendell advised television station WKMG that parental input can t be ignored The parent is our partner in this learning endeavor that we have with our children Rendell stated This law was definitely put in place to make sure that partnership was maintained