Florida
Florida School Board Races 2026: Duval District 4 Candidates Focus on Safety, Discipline, and Career Prep
Duval County School Board District 4 election overview The post Duval County School Board, District 4 appeared first on The Florida Trib.
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Key points
- Duval County School Board District 4 features a three-way nonpartisan primary race between Alfreda Denson Butler, Rhodesia Butler, and James ‘Coach’ Jacobs to replace term-limited incumbent Darryl Willie.
- Candidate Alfreda Denson Butler highlights her 20 years as a classroom teacher, prioritizing reading and math literacy, campus safety, and vocational career pathways.
- Candidate Rhodesia Butler stresses her 21 years in school administration and 36 years as a business owner, focusing on school discipline, teacher retention, and workforce partnerships.
Florida School Board Elections Draw Focus to Campus Safety and Academic Standards
NewsWK — As school board elections across Florida draw heightened attention from parents and taxpayers seeking accountability and academic rigor, Duval County voters face a key choice in District 4. Incumbent Darryl Willie is leaving the board due to term limits, opening the nonpartisan seat to three candidates: Alfreda Denson Butler, Rhodesia Butler, and James “Coach” Jacobs.
According to a report first published by The Florida Trib, the District 4 primary race will appear on the August ballot for all district voters regardless of political party affiliation. Under Florida election law, if no candidate secures more than 50 percent of the vote in the primary, the top two vote-getters will advance to a decisive runoff in the November general election.
Candidate Platforms Emphasize Safety, Discipline, and Skilled Trades
As school districts across Florida balance budget constraints, teacher retention, and classroom behavior standards, the candidates outlined their core principles and priorities for district leadership.
Alfreda Denson Butler, a 20-year veteran classroom teacher currently serving at Mattie V. Rutherford Alternative School and founder of an educational nonprofit foundation, centers her platform on classroom-level experience, foundational reading and math literacy, and expanding opportunities in vocational trades, entrepreneurship, and military service.
“I do not have to guess what is happening in our schools because I am living it,” Butler stated in survey responses published by The Florida Trib.
Rhodesia Butler, an educator and administrator with over 21 years of district experience—including roles as principal and area director—as well as 36 years as a small business owner, focuses her platform on school safety, consistent student discipline, and industry certifications.
“Discipline should be consistent, fair, transparent, and focused on accountability while also providing students with the support they need to improve,” Butler noted in the report.
Broader Implications for Florida Education
School board leadership battles across Florida reflect broader statewide debates over public education governance, which directly resonate with voters and parents in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. Issues such as expanding vocational and workforce training, establishing clear classroom discipline rules, supporting competitive teacher salaries, and maintaining strict budget oversight remain primary considerations for voters statewide as local districts gear up for upcoming election cycles.
This article was produced with the assistance of AI and reviewed by our editorial team.
Based on reporting by News4JAX originally published by The Florida Trib. Read the original story.
