Florida Today: State settles with Brevard teacher who used student’s chosen name →
A Florida Department of Education committee on July 30 unanimously accepted a settlement that upholds the credentials of a Brevard teacher whose contract wasn’t renewed after she used a high school student’s chosen name without parental permission.
Florida Today: Brevard’s school board okays tentative budget of more than $1.6 billion →
Amy Roub spoke about Melissa Calhoun’s ousting, criticizing the district’s decision to not renew her contract after she used a student’s chosen name without parental permission. ‘Your constituents did not want you to fire her, and you completely ignored them when they came out en masse,’ she said. ‘You keep boasting this A-rated district while you bully the teachers responsible for those high test scores.’
Florida Today: Former Brevard teacher’s certification status to be decided by state →
Nearly four months after Brevard Public Schools ousted a high school teacher who used a student’s chosen name without parental permission, a state department of education committee will decide the fate of her teaching certification
ClickOrlando: Brevard school board to take up parental consent policy after nickname scandal →
A firestorm over a local teacher using a student’s preferred name ended with the teacher’s contract not renewed, and now Brevard Public Schools is reviewing its policies to ensure it doesn’t run afoul of state law.
Reuters: US school year ends under shadow of Trump DEI orders →
‘I’ve noticed this past year, teachers have been a lot more nervous whenever they’re teaching,’ said Ryan Matrigali, 17, a Florida high-schooler. He recently spoke up at a school board meeting in support of former AP English teacher Melissa Calhoun, who was let go after using a student’s preferred pronouns. ‘With all of the rules and the school board cracking down, they’re not allowed to be as open with topics.’
Florida Today: Public advocates for ex-teacher at Brevard school board meeting →
For the fifth time in a little over two months, community members have asked Brevard’s school board to reinstate a high school teacher who was ousted after using a 17-year-old’s chosen name without parental permission — once more to no avail.
Florida Today: Community speaks in support of ousted Brevard teacher →
More than two months after a Satellite High teacher’s contract wasn’t renewed following her use of a student’s chosen name without parental permission, community members gathered to speak once more in her support at a Brevard school board meeting.
Commentary: Cruel schools play gender-affirming name game →
In April, we saw Brevard Public Schools fire AP Satellite High School teacher Melissa Calhoun for using an affirming name for a 17-year-old trans student, the name by which they had been known since middle school. Now, as reported from records obtained by Finch Walker of Florida Today, we see that BPS is contemplating ways to punish students themselves for using their own preferred/nicknames on written class assignments.
Strategy Session and Rally Before the June 6th School Board Meeting →
The next School Board meeting is Tuesday, June 10th at 9:30am. We will meet, rally and strategize beforehand: a Virtual Strategy Session on Thursday June 5th at 7pm, and an In-Person Session on Monday June 9th at 4pm
Florida Today: Brevard Schools talks discipline for kids using chosen names without permission →
A Brevard student writes a name on top of an assignment that is not the one their parents gave them at birth — a nickname, or a name chosen based on a transgender identity. Their parents haven’t signed a permission form saying educators may call them that, and their teachers use the student’s legal name. What, if anything, happens next to the student?