Florida teacher suing Dept. of Education over pronouns law

RUSKIN, Fla (WFLA) – A Hillsborough County math teacher is one of three educators suing the Florida Department of Education over a state law that restricts the use of pronouns.

Florida Statute § 1000.071(3) (2023) bans employees from using pronouns different from those assigned at birth.

Lennard High School teacher Katie Wood says its discriminatory.

“I don’t want to give up being me,” Wood said.

Prior to the law, the teacher asked students to call her “Ms. Wood,” but that is no longer a requirement.

“Some students have taken to teacher Wood and select students will call me “Mr.,” and I can’t really do anything, the law specifically says that I can’t correct them,” she said.

A 61-page lawsuit filed by Attorney’s representing Wood and two other Florida educators state the law is a violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

“It prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in employment, and the Supreme Court has been very clear, if you’re telling a transgender woman that she can’t do something but you’re telling a cisgender woman that she can do that, that’s sex discrimination,” said Sam Boyd, an Attorney at the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Teachers who don’t follow the law risk losing their jobs and certifications.

Boyd says one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit was already affected by the consequences.

NewsNation affiliate WFLA reached out to the Florida Department of Education for comment on the lawsuit, but they denied due to pending litigation.