Federal Judge Temporarily Stops Florida Law that Limits Transgender Teachers From Pronoun Restriction

A federal judge in Florida has temporarily halted a law that stopped a transgender teacher from using pronouns not aligned with her birth sex.

Transgender Teacher Granted Temporary Injunction Against Florida Law

Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker allowed Katie Wood, the transgender teacher, a temporary injunction against the law, citing that it violates her First Amendment rights.

Walker strongly criticized the law, highlighting the frequent First Amendment issues in Florida. Wood, along with two other teachers, filed a lawsuit challenging the law, known as the "Don't Say Gay" law, which prohibits teachers from using pronouns not aligned with their birth sex.

Wood, who has taught math at Lennard High School in Hillsborough County, was prohibited from using her preferred title "Ms. Wood" under the law.

Another plaintiff, AV Schwandes, was fired for using the gender-neutral honorific "Mx." The complainants contend that the law discriminates based on sex and violates numerous federal laws and constitutional rights.

Walker's injunction for Wood was granted due to ongoing violations of her free speech rights.

The judge stressed the significance of individuals conveying their preferred pronouns and titles, quoting Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself." He is anticipated to issue a further decision on the state's motion to dismiss the case soon.

Florida Federal Judge Temporarily Suspends Teacher's Pronoun Restrictions

A federal judge in Florida has halted education officials from enforcing a law that compelled a transgender teacher to use pronouns associated with her assigned sex at birth.

The law, implemented in 2023, restricts educators' use of personal pronouns and titles in schools and is part of a series of measures targeting the LGBTQ community supported by the Republican-controlled Legislature and Governor Ron DeSantis.

Katie Wood, a transgender teacher from Hillsborough County, and AV Schwandes, a nonbinary teacher fired by Florida Virtual School, sought preliminary injunctions as part of a lawsuit challenging these restrictions, claiming violations of their First Amendment rights and federal civil rights laws.

Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker granted a preliminary injunction that applies only to Wood, citing her ongoing violation of free speech rights.

However, he denied a preliminary injunction for Schwandes. Walker emphasized the importance of limited scope for injunctions, citing a 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision.

Walker clarified that the injunction only applies to Wood and not statewide, unlike what the plaintiffs' lawyers requested. He distinguished Wood's case from a previous challenge to a Florida law targeting drag shows, stating that the conclusions drawn there did not directly apply to Wood's situation.

In his ruling, Walker highlighted Wood's past and desired use of preferred pronouns and the deterrent effect of potential disciplinary action under the law. He found no evidence of employment discrimination against Wood and deemed Schwandes' evidence insufficient to prove speech infringement.

Rejecting the state's argument that the pronoun restriction was a pedagogical decision, Walker emphasized the personal nature of Wood and Schwandes' speech and its broad application across all public school employees. He disagreed that such restrictions constituted government speech, asserting that official policy labeling does not automatically transform personal speech into government expression.