Linda Cothiere
Cothiere was born in Haiti, raised in Carol City and graduated from Miami Carol City Senior High. She has spent more than three decades in Miami-Dade education, starting as a paraprofessional and now teaching first-grade math, science and social studies. She co-hosts a community talk show for immigrant families and is a church deaconess. She finished second in the eight-candidate Aug. 18, 2026 primary with 21% and advanced to the Nov. 3 runoff.
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Positions on the major issues
Compare with opponents →Each entry describes what the candidate has said or done, and what they say they will do, in neutral terms with sources. The chip shows how that relates to the statement voters rate in the matching tool.
Education & school choice Leans disagree· stated position
The Miami Times reported that Cothiere criticized charter school expansion and the lack of community consultation behind it, while calling for more questions about how the district responds to declining enrollment.
"We need to ask some questions because nobody is asking questions. What more can we do?"
Teacher and staff pay Strongly agrees· stated position
Cothiere's platform calls for directing local dollars to competitive pay and retention, protecting the voter-approved teacher-salary referendum and closing the pay and working-conditions gap with neighboring counties.
"When teachers win, students win."
School safety approach Leans agree· stated position
Cothiere has asked whether the district can add security staff or police officers at school access points, and her platform calls for full compliance with Florida's Marjory Stoneman Douglas safety law, including a safe-school officer, a single point of entry and Alyssa's Law panic alarms in every building.
"Can we bring more security or can we bring more police officers?"
No public position found on 4 issues
We searched campaign sites, questionnaires, interviews, votes and official actions and did not find a clear stance on: Taxes & spending, Property taxes, Gender identity laws, Library and classroom materials. This is reported as unknown rather than guessed from party affiliation; these issues are excluded from this candidate's match score.
Other issues this candidate has raised
- School safety, teacher pay and charter costs — Cothiere asked whether schools need more security or police officers, said the district is losing good teachers 'because they cannot afford to stay here,' and said charter schools using district buildings should pay their own bills.