In the latest blow from Florida’s controversial Parental Rights in Education law — better known by its critics as the “Don’t Say Gay” law — a high school teacher has found herself out of a job for one simple act of respect: calling a student by their preferred name.
Melissa Calhoun, a literature teacher at Satellite High School in Satellite Beach, was told by Brevard County Public Schools that her contract will not be renewed. Her offense? Referring to a student by their chosen name instead of the legal name listed on school documents — and doing so without parental consent.
According to the district, this action violated Florida law, which requires written permission from parents before a school employee can call a student by any name other than the one on their birth certificate — even a harmless nickname.
“This directly violates state law and the district’s standardized process for written parental consent,” the district said in a statement. Calhoun, who has taught in the district for 12 years, admitted to using the preferred name — an act that earned her a letter of reprimand and now threatens her teaching certification.
Students Fight Back
But students weren’t about to let Calhoun go quietly. In a powerful show of support, dozens of Satellite High students staged a walkout, demanding that the school reverse its decision. Many described Calhoun as a positive influence and an ally who made them feel seen in an increasingly hostile environment for LGBTQ students.
“We’re here to really show support for Ms. Calhoun and to show that we are not OK with what is going on,” said sophomore Brianna Knight.
Supporters also launched a petition to reinstate her, which had gathered over 22,000 signatures by Friday — a clear sign that this fight extends beyond the walls of one Florida classroom.
A Law Targeting LGBTQ Youth
Florida’s law, signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, has expanded beyond early childhood education to restrict discussions of gender identity and sexual orientation through eighth grade. More than that, it now polices language, pronouns, and — as seen here — even a student’s name.
This isn’t just about legal names on roll call. It’s about identity. For many LGBTQ youth, their chosen name is not a preference — it’s survival. It’s an act of self-definition in a world that often erases them.
The law’s defenders, like Brevard school board member Katye Campbell, argue that parents should have the ultimate say over how their children are addressed. But critics say this strips vulnerable students of autonomy and protection in one of the few places they should feel safe: school.
“There was no harm, no threat to safety, no malicious intent,” one of Calhoun’s colleagues told the board. “Just a teacher trying to connect with a student.”
The Chilling Effect
For LGBTQ students across Florida, the message is chilling. Teachers are being punished not for misconduct, but for compassion. Schools — once sanctuaries for learning and growth — are becoming battlegrounds where students must fight to be called by their own name.
For the queer community, especially trans and nonbinary youth, these laws represent more than just policy. They are an attack on dignity, on identity, and on basic human respect.
Melissa Calhoun’s story is a stark reminder that in today’s Florida, a name isn’t just a name — it’s a political statement. And calling someone by theirs could cost you everything.