Social media account accuses Miami schools superintendent of infidelity

Miami Herald | by Colleen Wright | March 9, 2021

Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho’s shirtless, intimate selfies have been posted to an Instagram account accusing him of cheating on his wife.

The account named “I have a lover” with the handle @superintendentofmiami had 14 public posts and 55 people were following itbefore the account was locked down about 10 p.m. Monday, not long after the unidentified owner of the account was contacted by a Miami Herald reporter.

Through a school district spokeswoman, Carvalho gave this statement Tuesday: “I am both disturbed and saddened to learn about the existence of a fake social media account, portraying illegitimately obtained images of me, that advances commentary of a personal nature meant to presumably damage character and hurt those around me.”

Carvalho turned down the Herald’s request for an interview. “He is focused on his work and will not allow this to be a distraction,” said spokeswoman Daisy Gonzalez-Diego.

Instagram account @superintendentofmiami that is named “I have a lover” had 14 public posts, some of which showed Miami-Dade County Public Schools in shirtless and intimate selfies. The now locked-down account accused Carvalho of cheating on his wife. INSTAGRAM SCREENSHOT

The posts show Carvalho appearing to take selfies of himself — both shirtless and clothed. They’re part of a series of images that include three photos of a naked woman, three written posts about cheating and one written post about lying.

“Cheating is a choice, not a mistake,” read one post.

“Cheaters always want you to be loyal while they’re being unfaithful,” read another.

“I cheat on my wife with a 30yo girl and I was trying to hide it!” read the account’s description.

The account on Monday also posted to its “story” — a feature where posts are set to disappear within 24 hours — that it was looking for reporters who “want that breaking news.”

“I will give you all the information about the girl…who is she, where she works and the story about two love birds,” read one of the temporary posts.

The account posted its first photo on Dec. 12, 2020: A close-up shirtless selfie of Carvalho posing with his left hand behind his head. The description: “Love myself! #superintendent #love #selflove #memyselfandi”

Attempts to identify the owner of the account have been unsuccessful.

The account follows Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ official Instagram account, media outlets, journalists and public figures. Before the account was made private late Monday night, it had 10 followers. A 15th post was added Tuesday after the account went private and the description changed to read, “I will be back with more pictures and accept all the requests!”

Screenshots of the Instagram account were circulating in Tallahassee political circles and among Miami-Dade teachers and administrators. At least one School Board member has privately expressed concerns on the matter.

Carvalho’s appointment as superintendent overthe nation’s fourth-largest school district in 2008 was marred by the accusation that he had an affair with a Miami Herald education reporter.

A series of emails they apparentlyexchanged with each other from October 2006 to September 2007, when he was an associate superintendent, indicated a romantic relationship and the appearance that they were trying to boost each other’s career.The emails were sent to the media while he was being considered for the district’s top job. It was not clear whether the more than two dozen emails were authentic.

Carvalho first questioned the legitimacy of the e-mails, the Herald reported at the time, but then said it was possible they were authentic. The reporter, who left the Herald in September 2007 — a year before the emails surfaced — had declined to comment.The school board still selected him as the new superintendent in a 6-3 vote.

When the emails came out, the reporter resigned from her job at the Boston Globe. Carvalho has long denied he had an affair. In a 2019 interview, he told the Herald there was no romantic relationship, calling it “a friendship that was rather free.” However, he said his emails were inappropriate.

Featured image: Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho on the first day of the 2020-21 school year. DANIEL A. VARELA DVARELA@MIAMIHERALD.COM