Rhodesia Butler, a former educator and area director for the Boys & Girls Club of Jacksonville, won the election for Duval County School Board District 4 seat, representing many of Jacksonville’s historically Black neighborhoods across the Northside. She defeated charter school dean of students James Jacobs and write-in candidate Gracie Bell Kearse-McCastler with just over 50% of the vote.
Butler will replace term-limited member Darryl Willie, who ran unopposed in the 2022 election cycle.
With over $35,000 raised in campaign contributions, Butler received endorsements from Duval Teachers United, the teacher’s union for the district, the Jacksonville Association of Firefighters and recently elected At-Large City Council member Moné Holder.
As the board deals with a number of challenges this year, including school closures and a shrinking student population, the political leaning of the board’s conservative majority has remained virtually the same.
Backed by the controversial “parental rights” group, Moms for Liberty, former Board Chair Charlotte Joyce and Vice Chair April Carney are both being replaced by conservative frontrunners Lindsey Denmark and Donovan Bradley respectively. Butler, a registered Democrat, will continue the long-held progressive legacy of the District 4 seat.
Butler said she plans on taking on teacher retention and attracting more families to send their children to District 4 schools. However, former Board member Willie has remarked that prohibiting further closures of Northside and Eastside public schools will be Butler’s primary obstacle as a board member.
