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

VIERA Fla AP School district executives on Florida s Space Coast aren t renewing the contract of a educator who used a participant s chosen name without getting permission from the attendee s parents in violation of Florida law Dozens of students and parents presented up in patronage of trainer Melissa Calhoun at a Brevard Citizens Schools board meeting Tuesday night demanding that her contract as an English instructor at Satellite High School be renewed The -year-old apprentice chose the preferred name to reflect the trainee s gender identity and the trainer 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 participant s legal name according to Janet Murnaghan a spokeswoman for the Brevard General Schools Schools superintendent Mark Rendell informed television station WKMG that parental input can t be ignored The parent is our partner in this development endeavor that we have with our children Rendell disclosed This law was authentically put in place to make sure that partnership was maintained