Ex-teacher allowed to continue teaching despite nickname complaint

By Luana Munoz

Click here for updates on this story

    BREVARD COUNTY, Florida (WESH) — Melissa Calhoun appeared before the State of Florida Education Practices Commission on Wednesday, where the commission upheld a settlement allowing her to continue teaching during a one-year probation, despite a nickname complaint.

The settlement terms include a one-year probation during which Calhoun is allowed to teach, a letter of reprimand, a $750 fine and an ethics course.

During the hearing, current Florida Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas expressed a desire to back out of the agreement.

Calhoun’s attorney, Mark Wilensky, argued against this move, stating, “I’m not certain how lawyers can enter into binding agreements, binding contracts and then say yeah but we really don’t want to be bound by it.”

Wilensky emphasized that Calhoun has always been permitted to teach while on probation and argued that she should not have been dismissed initially.

Charlotte Winz, a commission member and veteran educator, warned of a “slippery slope” if a parent’s complaint about a teacher calling a student by a nickname leads to such disciplinary actions.

Commission members acknowledged the importance of addressing parents’ concerns but ultimately concluded that Calhoun’s punishment was sufficient.

Calhoun is highly regarded by parents, faculty, and staff as a teacher who goes above and beyond for her students.

Calhoun, in April of this year, was told her contract with the district would not be renewed.

The district released the following statement:

“Brevard Public Schools (BPS) was made aware that a teacher at Satellite High School had been referring to a student by a name other than their legal name, without parental permission when the parent reached out to us. This directly violates state law and the district’s standardized process for written parental consent.

“BPS supports parents’ rights to be the primary decision-makers in their children’s lives, and Florida law affirms their right to be informed.

“After the accusation was made, the district conducted a detailed investigation. Based on the teacher’s own admission that she knowingly did not comply with state statute she received a letter of reprimand. Teachers, like all employees, are expected to follow the law.

“The teacher is working under a ten-month contract that expires in May 2025. Since the state will be reviewing her teaching certificate based on these actions, the district decided not to renew the annual contract until the issue is resolved with the state.

“At BPS our focus is on education — teachers are here to teach and support students academically. Our job is to work in partnership with parents and guardians to ensure student success.”

WESH 2 spoke with Congressman Randy Fine, who sponsored the Parental Rights in Education Bill, sometimes dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, when he was in the state House.

“What our law said was if they want to be called something other than their legal name, their parents have to sign a form,” Fine said. “Whether it’s a nickname or frankly a name from another gender, the parent has to be OK with it,”

Fine said if the teacher did what she was accused of, she broke the law.

“I don’t have the details,” he said. “But if a teacher was referring to a student by a name different than what the parents desire and it rose to the level that the parent complained about it, then that teacher is breaking the law. And we do not want lawbreakers teaching our children.”

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.