The fate of Jessica Norton, mom of a transgender student and an information management specialist at Monarch High School in Coconut Creek, hangs in the balance as the School Board prepares to make a decision regarding her employment on June 18. Norton's potential firing stems from her involvement in a controversy surrounding a transgender student on the school's volleyball team. Norton was among five Monarch officials removed from their positions last November amid an investigation into potential violations of the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act. This act, enacted in 2021, prohibits transgender girls from participating in girls’ sports teams. While other officials have been cleared of any wrongdoing and have returned to their roles, Norton remains under scrutiny. The district's investigation into Norton's conduct has not been publicly disclosed, but district spokesman John Sullivan cited violations of the state law and professional conduct rules in education as reasons for her recommended termination. Norton, along with her daughter, previously challenged the state law in a lawsuit against the state and the school district. Although a federal judge upheld the ban last November, the case is still pending. Norton's lawyer, Jason Starr, argues that Norton has not been informed of the specific violation she is accused of committing and questions whether an individual employee can be held liable under the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act. According to Starr, the law applies to institutions, not individual employees. The outcome of the School Board meeting on June 18 will determine Norton's future at Monarch High School, with potential repercussions for both her and the ongoing debate surrounding transgender participation in school sports. #Trans Rights