A teacher at the Satellite High School in the Brevard district (US state of Florida) will lose her workplace because she addressed a student with a self -chosen name without the written permission of the parents.
This is reported, among other things, that the newspaper “Florida Today” and the broadcaster WKMG TV. The responsible school authority confirmed that the contract was not extended by teacher Melissa Calhoun.
Teachers need explicit permission
The background is a regulation of the school authority of 2023, which forbids teachers from addressing students with an official name, provided that there is no explicit permission of the legal guardians. This applies regardless of whether it is a nickname or a name connected to a gender identity.
The school authority responded to a reference to the parents of the affected child. An internal investigation was then started. Spokeswoman Janet Murnaghan told “Florida Today” that Calhound had admitted that he had deliberately violated the rule. You received a written warning. Since the incident is considered a violation of the law in current legislation, Calhun’s teacher permit is now also being checked.
Despite the coming departure from school service, Calhoun can fulfill its current contract until May.
First documented case under new regulation
According to Media reports, it is the first publicly known case in which a teacher in Florida loses her job because of the so -driven “preferred name”. The rule is part of an extensive education agenda among Governor Ron Desantis, who had already signed the so -called “Don’t Say Gay” law in 2022, forbidden lessons on topics of sexual orientation and gender identity at primary schools and later extended to all degrees.
Students demand teacher back
The decision of the school authority has caused violent public reactions. Countless students and colleagues spoke out at a school council meeting for Calhoun. Colleague Kristine Staniec accused the school authority to “wipe under the carpet”. She said, “There was no damage, no threat to safety, no malicious intention – only the attempt of a teacher to establish a connection with a student.”
Students organized a petition for the repetition of Calhuns, which, according to American media, collected tens of thousands of signatures within a very short time. An expression with several hundred handwritten signatures was also presented during the school council meeting.
A student said that Calhoun was a “popular teacher” who is not only involved in the class, but also in out -of -school activities such as the Mock Trial team. Another student praised her as a “brilliant teacher, fully dedicated to education”.
Legal gray area
Although the regulations for the use of the name clearly prescribe written permission from the parents, it remains unclear which sanctions are specifically provided for a violation. In such cases, current legislation does not contain a binding criminal standard for teachers. At the same time, there are various legal disputes about further regulations on pronoun and gender identity in the school context.
Some of the corresponding laws are temporarily blocked by a federal court, the case is now at a court of appeal.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
