Rhodesia Butler
Rhodesia Butler, 55, spent more than 21 years in Duval County Public Schools as a teacher, specialist, Early College coordinator, dean, assistant principal, principal and area director. She graduated from Stanton College Preparatory School and holds a master's in educational leadership from Jacksonville University, and has run a performing arts school and nonprofit for more than three decades.
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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.
Taxes & spending Leans disagree· stated position
Butler supports renewing Duval schools' voter-approved 1-mill property tax on the November ballot, saying it has funded teacher raises and that failing to renew it would have an impact.
"So if we were not to support this on the ballot going forward, it would have an impact,"
Teacher and staff pay Leans agree· stated position
Butler lists teacher and staff retention among her top three issues and says she would advocate for competitive salaries and meaningful professional development.
"I will advocate for competitive salaries, meaningful professional development"
School safety approach Leans disagree· stated position
Butler names school safety and student behavior as her top issue but says she would address it through stronger behavior-intervention systems and more mentoring and student-support programs rather than added policing.
"I will advocate for stronger behavior-intervention systems, increased access to mentoring and student-support programs"
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: Property taxes, Education & school choice, 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
- Staffing and enrollment — Butler frames staffing as a fiscal-stewardship question tied to enrollment: 'you have to place teachers and principals where they need to be, but if you only have a certain amount of students, it just makes sense.'
- College and career readiness — Butler says every student should graduate with a clear pathway to college, technical education, military service, entrepreneurship or the workforce.
Endorsements (as reported)
- Jacksonville chapter of the National Organization for Women