ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – Florida’s Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas has filed an administrative complaint against a teacher over her use of the title “Mx.”
The complaint identifies the teacher as Emily Caylen Grace, a resource teacher at William S. Talbot Elementary School in Alachua County.
According to the complaint, the violations in question occurred during the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school years.
“She asked and/or encouraged and/or failed to correct elementary students addressing her using the non-binary prefix Mx rather than Ms. or Mrs. as appropriate for (Grace’s) sex as determined at birth,” the complaint reads.
According to NBC News, the “Mx.” title can act as a gender-neutral alternative for teachers who don’t choose to identify with either gender.
However, Florida state law prohibits teachers from using titles or pronouns in school that don’t correspond to their actual sex.
The issue gained traction after it was publicly revealed by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier last month, when he called out the behavior in a letter to the school district.
‘’Mx.’ is an ideologically laden term that seeks to make educational professionals and — most damning — children mouth support for nonsense,” the letter reads.
A female teacher at Talbot Elementary in Gainesville is forcing students and faculty to address her with the prefix “Mx.” instead of “Ms.” or “Mrs.”
This violates Florida law and Alachua County School District policy and must stop immediately. pic.twitter.com/RzJBAPu8ax
— Attorney General James Uthmeier (@AGJamesUthmeier) October 22, 2025
Just a few hours after Uthmeier’s announcement, Kamoutsas revealed that Grace had been placed on leave pending an investigation.
Now, Kamoutsas’ complaint shows that Grace is being charged with misconduct and violating the state’s principles of professional conduct.
As such, the complaint continues, Grace faces potential sanctions against her teaching certificate, which could include a written reprimand, probation, or even permanent revocation.
[BELOW: News 6 examines investigation after Brevard County preferred name scandal]
The policy in question stems back to 2023, when Florida state lawmakers passed a bill (HB 1069) that prohibits K-12 public teachers in the state from using certain language in schools.
The legislation itself aimed to crack down on what some state leaders dubbed “woke gender ideology” in schools.
Teachers who knowingly violate these rules face the potential revocation or suspension of their educator’s certificate, preventing them from being employed in Florida public schools.
Aside from pronouns, though, the new rules also restrict teachers from using nicknames or preferred names in classrooms without parental permission.
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