In a move that reaffirms Florida’s commitment to protecting parental rights in schools, a Brevard County teacher has become the first known educator dismissed under a law signed by Governor Ron DeSantis that requires teachers to obtain parental permission before addressing students by names other than those listed on official records.
Melissa Calhoun, a teacher at Satellite High School, was informed that her contract will not be renewed for the upcoming school year after she admitted to knowingly violating state law by using a student’s self-chosen name without obtaining parental consent.
The decision follows Florida’s parental rights legislation—one of many efforts by Gov. DeSantis to put power back where it belongs: in the hands of parents, not bureaucrats or activist teachers. The law, implemented at the start of the 2023-2024 school year, plainly requires teachers to notify and receive approval from parents before addressing students by alternative names or pronouns.
District spokesperson Janet Murnaghan was clear in defending the action: “Brevard Public Schools supports parents’ rights to be the primary decision-makers in their children’s lives, and Florida law affirms their right to be informed.”
The situation reportedly began when a student’s parents discovered Calhoun was calling their child by a name inconsistent with the child’s legal name, prompting an investigation. Calhoun admitted she violated the policy—and the law—by intentionally ignoring the requirement to notify the student’s parents.
Let’s be clear: this isn’t about pronouns or preferred names. It’s about respecting the role of parents in their children’s upbringing—something the radical Left continues to erode in pursuit of an agenda that puts the state between children and their families.
While Calhoun’s supporters are already staging protests and circulating online petitions, Florida’s stance is rooted in principle: parents, not teachers, make the rules when it comes to their children’s identity and education. The classroom is not a place for political or ideological activism—it’s a place for learning.
Nevertheless, the usual suspects are up in arms. Students walked out in protest, and a change.org petition calling for Calhoun’s reinstatement has garnered over 18,000 signatures in just a few days. Some parents, including a school staffer, even defended the teacher at a school board meeting, with one calling for “fairness, context, and compassion.”
But the real question is—where was the fairness and compassion for the student’s parents who were left in the dark about decisions that directly impact their child’s identity, development, and wellbeing?
By refusing to renew Calhoun’s contract, the district isn’t just enforcing the law—it’s taking a stand for the values that too many school systems have abandoned. Florida is leading the way in restoring accountability and common sense to our education system. Teachers are public servants—not social engineers—and their job is to teach, not to sidestep families in pursuit of a personal agenda.
Once again, Governor DeSantis is proving what leadership looks like: defending children, empowering parents, and reminding educators that the classroom belongs to families—not political ideologues.
