Broward school board unlikely to fire mother after transgender athlete controversy – NBC 6 South Florida

It appeared unlikely Tuesday that the Broward School Board would fire an employee whose transgender daughter played volleyball at the high school, in an alleged violation of state law. But the board postponed a final decision until next week.

Most of the nine members of the Broward County School Board appeared ready to reject Superintendent Howard Hepburn’s recommendation to fire Jessica Norton as computer information specialist at Monarch High School, where her daughter played on the varsity team last year.

But many also said they did not believe Norton should go unpunished for violating the state’s Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, which Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican-led Legislature passed in 2021. The law, which Broward’s administration lobbied against, bans trans students from participating in girls’ and women’s sports.

A county commission recommended Norton be given a 10-day suspension, but Hepburn, who was hired in April, called for her resignation, saying Tuesday he believes it is the appropriate punishment for violating the law.

During a 90-minute discussion, many board members said the suspension seemed disproportionate. One suggested a 10-day suspension, while another suggested a five-day suspension. The state athletic commission fined the school $16,500 for violating the law, and the principal and three other administrators were temporarily removed from the school after the investigation became public in November.

“I appreciate a mother fighting for her child’s rights, I really do, but this crossed so many different lines,” said member Debbi Hixon. “Her protection of her child, her daughter, affected so many other people and children.”

The school district is the fifth largest in the country, with nearly 255,000 students attending 327 schools.

Broward’s board, recognizing that Norton’s case is unprecedented, ultimately adopted a motion from member Torey Alston that the superintendent’s staff compile a list of all employees who have broken the law in the past five years, the circumstances and how they were punished. The board could make a decision next week after reviewing roughly comparable violations.

Norton, a district employee for the past seven years, has been on paid leave since November. Commenting on the vote, she said, “It was nice to hear that some people understand that it’s not black and white.”

Her daughter, now 16, was class president and homecoming princess before deciding to leave Monarch in November amid a district investigation and mounting public scrutiny. She is now learning online. The girl, who is small and petite, was often on the bench when the Knights went 13-7 last season.

“She’s becoming more and more normal,” Norton said. Still, “she knows that all her friends are going to school next month and she won’t be there.”

Florida is one of at least 24 states that have passed a law banning transgender people from certain sports teams.

The Nortons are plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit seeking to block the Florida law as a violation of their daughter’s civil rights. Norton’s child began taking puberty blockers at age 11 and takes estrogen, but has not undergone gender-affirming surgery.

When investigators interviewed three Monarch volleyball players, they said the team did not change or shower together, so they were never seen undressing with Norton’s daughter. All three said they knew or suspected Norton’s daughter was transgender, but that it didn’t bother them that she was on the team.