A Florida teacher was fired for secretly socially transitioning a student by using the student’s fake “preferred” name in the classroom without parental consent.
Melissa Calhoun, who was a teacher at Satellite High School near Cape Canaveral, called the student by a “preferred name” in the classroom without getting a form signed by the parents, prompting the parents to complain to the school district.
Melissa Calhoun, a teacher at @BrevardSchools in FL, was fired from her teaching position after allegedly attempting to socially transition a child behind parents' backs by using “preferred names”, violating Florida law.
Any teacher who tries to circumvent parental rights with… pic.twitter.com/1ezTM3ncEc
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) April 11, 2025
Calhoun reportedly admitted that she “knowingly did not comply with state statute,” which requires all teachers to obtain parental consent prior to referring to students by any name other than their legal name.
The Brevard County School District initially responded by issuing Calhoun a letter of reprimand. Ultimately, they later decided that they would not be renewing her contract for the fall, as the state would be reviewing Calhoun’s teaching credentials since she knowingly violated state law. Calhoun will be allowed to finish out the school year until her contract expires in May.
A Brevard County, Florida, high school teacher has been fired after using a student’s preferred name without their parents’ consent.
Melissa Calhoun is the first known teacher to be fired under a Florida state law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis that requires teachers to get… pic.twitter.com/wPrZSWlAFp
— RedWave Press (@RedWave_Press) April 11, 2025
Brevard Public Schools (BPS) Spokesperson Janet Murnaghan issued a statement about the decision, writing: “BPS supports parents’ rights to be the primary decision-makers in their children’s lives, and Florida law affirms their right to be informed.”
“At BPS our focus is on education — teachers are here to teach and support students academically,” Murnaghan added. “Our job is to work in partnership with parents and guardians to ensure student success.”
Calhoun had worked for BPS for more than a decade, since 2013, and taught AP Literature, according to her LinkedIn page. According to many students and teachers, Calhoun was well-liked.
The community has responded negatively to Calhoun’s firing, holding protests at a school board meeting on April 8 demanding that she be reinstated. However, it is highly unlikely that she will keep her job, as violating state law is not something that can be swept under the rug, nor is lying to a parent about their child’s condition.
In fact, Americans overwhelmingly oppose such an action. According to a 2023 poll, 71% of voters support schools being legally required to inform parents if a student expresses a desire to change their gender.
