Karla Hernández-Mats, teachers’ union heavyweight and running mate of Florida Democratic gubernatorial nominee Charlie Crist, was caught at a campaign event Tuesday claiming that her experience working with special needs children prepared her to contend with the state’s Republican-dominated “dysfunctional legislature.”
Speaking to constituents in Cape Coral, Hernández-Mats said, “I am a sped teacher so my major was emotionally handicapped education. That by itself qualifies me to deal with the dysfunctional legislature.”
Charlie Crist’s running mate, Karla Hernandez Mats a.k.a. #KarlaMarx, explains that she is an “activist” educator.
She then says that her experience as a “sped teacher” working with “emotionally handicapped” students qualifies her to “deal with the dysfunctional Legislature.” pic.twitter.com/M3e3asKBMa
— DeSantis War Room (@DeSantisWarRoom) September 14, 2022
The progressive candidate for Florida lieutenant governor called herself an “activist educator” in the video. Before joining Crist’s ticket, Hernández-Mats advocated for school closures as president of United Teachers’ of Dade (UTD).
An ally of teachers’ union leader and fellow school shutdown proponent Randi Weingarten, Hernández-Mats is now a vice president of her organization, the American Federation of Teachers.
Casey DeSantis slammed Hernández-Mats’ comments, calling it tone deaf and unacceptable behavior for a prospective elected official in the state.
“As a mom, I am disgusted and sickened by the callous, insensitive and ignorant comments by someone who claims to be an advocate for children. Karla, saying that children with unique abilities are ‘dysfunctional’ and equating them to your political opponents is beyond a new low,” the wife of the governor said in a statement. “As First Lady, I will make it my mission to let all parents across this state know of the hate in your heart. Shame on you, just shame on you.”
Last month, Governor DeSantis accused Hernández-Mats of turning a blind eye to a Miami teacher who was sexually abusing students because he was a high-ranking member of the union she presided over. While head of UTD, she allegedly maintained a professional relationship with Wendall Gibbs, who in his 15 years of teaching was involved in four criminal sexual assault cases and was accused of sexual misconduct by nine female students at Brownsville Middle School, the Miami Herald reported in 2019. The pair reportedly posed in multiple photographs together.
“They cared more about the power of their union than they did about the best interest of these kids. That is disgraceful. You do not put union politics ahead of middle school students who are in danger of being sexually abused…that’s disqualifying to be in any political office, much less Lieutenant Governor of Florida,” DeSantis said at a press conference.
When asked to speak to whether she helped cover up Gibbs’ sexual misconduct, a spokeswoman for Hernández Mats issued a statement that seemed to pass the buck to the district. Instead of condemning the sexual predator, the spokeswoman wrote back: “Hiring, firing, background checks and investigations are all handled and led by the district. If they are hired by M-DCPS, they are deemed to be qualified and safe to be in a school as far as UTD and other district employees are concerned.”