SATELLITE BEACH, Fla. – Supporters of a popular teacher losing her job for using a student’s ‘preferred’ name without a parent’s permission held another rally Friday to protest Brevard Public Schools’ decision not to renew Melissa Calhoun’s contract.
The school district said the Satellite High AP teacher called a student by another name without a written permission slip from the student’s parents, as required now by Florida law.
Students demonstrated against the move at dismissal last week.
Then, Friday, more members of the community gathered at the corner of South Patrick Drive and Jackson Avenue.
Organizers asked those who came to wear blue, which they said is Calhoun’s favorite color.
Kylee Rassman compared how the district is handling Calhoun’s situation to a Viera High School teacher who was arrested for the second time in two years on domestic violence allegations.
“I came here because recently, there was a teacher who was arrested for battery, strangulation, and he was let go on administrative leave so he’s still being paid, and I personally, believe that that is a lot worse than referring to somebody by how they wanna be referred to as and respecting somebody’s identity,” Rassman said. “And meanwhile, Ms. Calhoun is losing her job when she didn’t do anything violent or dangerous, and so I think the school board needs to get their [expletive] straight,” the protester continued.
This week, News 6 reporter James Sparvero asked Brevard County school board member Matt Susin about those stories and Calhoun’s case.
“The bottom line is that we had a situation where the teacher admitted to breaking the law,” Susin said. “We have to follow the law.”
The school board member called Calhoun a good teacher with good scores over more than a decade that she spent in the classroom at Satellite High and DeLaura Middle School.
Some protesters plan to attend next week’s school board meeting to address the school board in person.
