The rule, signed by Governor Ron DeSantis in 2023, requires parents to sign a “Parental Authorization for Deviation from Student’s Legal Name Form”
If a student wishes to use a name other than their legal name, such as a simple nickname or a name associated with a transgender identity.
“BPS supports parents’ rights to be the primary decision-makers in their children’s lives, and Florida law affirms their right to be informed,” Murnaghan said.
According to Murnaghan, Calhoun acknowledged that she “knowingly did not comply with state statute,” and the instructor received a letter of reprimand.
According to Murnaghan, the district decided not to extend Calhoun’s contract since the state would examine her teaching credentials after she broke the law.
Murnaghan did not state who reported Calhoun’s use of a student’s chosen name or when the district learned of it. Reaction from the public: “There was no harm.”
