Florida special-needs teacher placed on leave after district identifies her in video of racist rant targeting children

A Florida schoolteacher has been placed on leave by her district after being caught on camera using racial slurs against children using a walking path near her home.

The teacher, who reportedly has been terrorizing her neighborhood as she guards the walking path in Naples, has been identified as Patricia Schmidt, who works as an Exceptional Student Education (ESE) Specialist at Lely Elementary School, according to the local NBC affiliate.

According to the Florida Department of Education, the Exceptional Student Education bureau administers programs for students with disabilities, and works to strengthen programs for those with special needs.

The station reports it notified the mother who recorded Schmidt's racist rant on Sunday that she works for Collier County Public Schools.

"Who knows how she's treating them in the classroom when their parents aren't there to defend them?" the mother reportedly responded.

Schmidt, who was driving a Mercedes-Benz at the time, called the mother "white trash" and referred to her children as "mulattos" and "half-breeds."

Neighbors say Schmidt has exhibited similar behavior for years. They refer to her as "Kings Lake Karen" due to her self-appointed role as guardian of the walking path, which reportedly is intended only for residents of Naples' Kings Lake neighborhood.

Collier "Karen" revealed as exceptional student educator at Lely Elementarywww.youtube.com