Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier issued a stern warning to the Alachua County School District on Wednesday, demanding that a teacher at Talbot Elementary School immediately cease instructing students and faculty to address her with the gender-neutral title “Mx.”
Uthmeier announced his stance on X, stating that the teacher’s directive violates Florida law and school district policy. “This violates Florida law and Alachua County School District policy and must stop immediately,” the Attorney General wrote.
The controversy stems from a complaint received by Uthmeier’s office regarding an unidentified female teacher who is reportedly directing students and staff to use “Mx.” (pronounced “Mix”)—a title used as a gender-neutral alternative to traditional prefixes like Mr., Ms., or Mrs., which do not imply a specific gender or sex.
In a letter sent to the school district, Uthmeier’s office contends that because the teacher was “born female,” she must use the gendered titles “Ms.” or “Mrs.” The letter further claims that asking others to use the non-binary title violates the religious rights of parents and is in breach of existing Florida statutes.
Florida law currently forbids teachers from using preferred pronouns at school that do not correspond with a person’s sex. The Attorney General’s office argues that the use of the “Mx.” title falls under the scope of this legislation.
Uthmeier’s letter goes on to demand that the school district compel the teacher to stop using the “Mx.” title. Furthermore, the Attorney General urged the district to “consider discipline or termination” against the teacher for the alleged violation of state law and policy.
- School/Location– Talbot Elementary School, Gainesville, FL
- Teacher’s Directive– Forcing students/faculty to use the title “Mx.”
- Title Meaning – “Mx.” (pronounced “Mix”) is a gender-neutral alternative to Mr., Ms., or Mrs.
- Official Contention– Violates Florida law and Alachua County School District policy.
- AG’s Claimed Violations– Use of non-binary title violates parents’ religious rights and Florida Statute forbidding preferred pronouns not aligning with sex.
- AG’s Demand– District must force the teacher to stop using “Mx.” and consider disciplinary action or termination.
READ: Florida Interstate Drug Bust Uncovers Major Trafficking Operation, Georgia Fugitive Arrested
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
