Florida Education Association sends outside counsel from Tallahassee to defend teacher who called conservative students ‘Hitler Youth’.

Stuart, FL — Former Martin County Education Association president and social studies teacher Matt Theobald appeared before the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings today as he fights to keep his job following a series of inflammatory social media posts made in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination.

In the posts, Theobald called the conservative commentator a “racist, misogynistic, fear-mongering neo-Nazi” and compared Kirk’s Turning Point USA — an organization with active student chapters in his own school district — to the “Hitler Youth.”

Theobald was suspended by the Martin County School District following the posts.

His case drew the attention of Florida Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas, who announced he would investigate “every educator” who engages in “vile, sanctionable behavior,” noting that First Amendment rights “do not extend without limit into their professional duties.”

Reflecting the gravity of the allegations, the FEA retained outside legal counsel from Tallahassee to represent Theobald at today’s hearing — a decision the Freedom Foundation says speaks volumes about union priorities.

While the administrative law judge’s final determination is still pending, the proceedings could set the stage for a subsequent challenge to Theobald’s teaching certification.

“This is not the kind of thing we want to see coming from educators to whom we entrust our kids,” said Aaron Withe, CEO of the Freedom Foundation. “In fact, it’s horrifying. It’s equally horrifying to see the union constantly hanging good teachers out to dry but sending an attorney all the way from Tallahassee to defend these actions. This is your union dues dollars hard at work.”