After more than a decade working for a school district, a ‘cherished’ teacher has been sacked following a complaint that she had been illegally referring to her student by a name that was not on the register.

Dozens of students held a walkout to protest the school district’s decision not to renew the teacher’s contract after she used a student’s preferred name.

Officials at Brevard Public Schools said the Florida district would not renew a high school teacher’s contract after she referred to a student by a chosen name without parental permission.

A teacher in Brevard County won’t be returning next school year after the district says she was accused of using a student’s preferred name without a parent’s permission.

Satellite High students rallied on Thursday in support of Melissa Calhoun, a teacher whose contract was not renewed after she used a student’s chosen name without parental consent.

Melissa Calhoun, a teacher at Satellite High School in Brevard County, was denied a contract renewal for the 2025-2026 school year after allegedly calling a student by their preferred name without their parent’s permission. She is believed to be the first fired for refusing to comply with the state’s forced outing policy.

A Florida teacher was fired by a school district after she called a pupil by their preferred name without getting permission from their parents.

A teacher in Florida has been told she won’t have her contract extended “until the issue is resolved with the state” after she referred to a child be their preferred name, rather than legal their legal name, without parental consent.

“It’s the first known dismissal stemming from the conservative campaign to limit schools’ recognition of transgender identity.” (Washington Post, 4/10/2025)

“A Florida teacher, Melissa Calhoun, was fired for using a student’s preferred name instead of their legal name, violating state law HB 1069.” (Times of India, 4/10/2025)