Parent of Transgender Student is Suspended from Her Job by Florida School Board After Investigation Fraught with Anti-Transgender Bias

The school board's decision also stipulated that Norton would have to be moved into a separate job that does not manage or handle student information. Norton and her husband Gary, on behalf of their daughter, brought a lawsuit in 2021 against the Broward County School District, State Education Department, and Florida High School Athletic Association challenging the Fairness in Women's Sports Act, the very law she was suspended for having violated, even though it only applies to schools and not individuals.

On Nov. 21, 2023, Broward School Board member Daniel Foganholi, appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis, reported that he had received an "anonymous tip" indicating that a transgender student was playing sports at Monarch High School-that student being Norton's daughter. The School Board, Superintendent, and senior District leadership were all aware that Norton's daughter continued to play volleyball at Monarch High School. No one in the District told Norton that her daughter could not play sports, however she is the only employee, despite having no responsibility for setting or maintaining policy regarding athletics, who is being punished. Her suspension follows a prolonged and careless investigation that was fraught with anti-transgender bias, mischaracterizations, and factual inaccuracies, as Norton told the board in her remarks last month.