Speaking at TreDavon Rhodes’ campaign launch, former Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild and City Council members Paul Cunningham and Miranda Schubert endorsed TreDavon Rhodes for the TUSD school board. The launch was packed on February 12, 2026, at the Crooked Tooth Brewery courtyard.
Former Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild said, “Why would an old guy like me be supporting a 19-year-old sophomore from the University of Arizona for the school board? And it’s a really easy answer. I’ve gotten to know Tre over the last two years. I’ve learned that he’s thoughtful, that he’s articulate, that he doesn’t jump to conclusions, but that most of all, that he really cares for the community. He cares for the community because he is of this community.”
City Councilman Paul Cunningham said, “Tre is an example of someone who will fight the fight for public schools. “TUSD has had ups and downs. Right now, we see a large drop-off at the middle school level, and we need to find ways to retain those students through the bond that voters just passed. And with leadership like Tre’s, I think we’re going to get there.”
Cunningham added, “We have opportunities to make a district like TUSD distinct and different and to do some revolutionary things, including an idea called the Tucson Health Insurance Network for kids. It gives a single payer option for all children who attend TUSD, and I look forward to working with Tre.”
Hopeful and optimistic for our future
City Council member Miranda Schubert chimed in, saying, “We’re facing challenges that are pretty overwhelming and unprecedented. And that demands a fresh viewpoint. We know we need leaders who truly represent the communities they serve. And the school board, and somebody like Tre, who is rooted in that community, is the perfect person to carry the priorities of the community forward.”
“It really shows that in Tucson, we should feel hopeful and optimistic for our future because we have created the opportunity for somebody like Tre to throw his hat in the ring,” she said. “As an elected leader, I envision Tre going out to meet people where they’re at, going to community events, thinking outside the box, working with government officials at different levels to make working and living conditions better for the families of Tucson.”
There are two openings on the TUSD Board. Other declared candidates include incumbent TUSD President Jennifer Eckstrom, property manager Lucas Verdugo, incumbent Val Romero, and Pilar Ruiz, a Customer Service Representative at American Airlines.
A free-lunch kid from a single-parent household
Rhodes said, “I was raised here in Tucson. I attended TUSD schools throughout my academic career. I graduated from Sabino in 2024. I’m currently a sophomore at the University of Arizona. I study political science and economics. I’m in my sophomore year, and I am counting down the days until graduation. Oh my lord.
“I’m running for the TUSD school board because I honestly, genuinely believe that our district has more to offer and that we could be doing better for our students.”
“I was a free-lunch kid who was raised in a single-parent household. My mother was, honestly, my major motivating factor. She was my inspiration. And I think that being a freelunch student and being raised in a single-parent household comes with its challenges, right?”
“But I do believe that my public schools really gave me the foundation I needed to become a first-generation college student. As someone with two younger siblings currently in our TUSD schools, I understand the challenges our students and families are facing right now. I think I can bring a fresh, unique perspective to our board. I think I can be a voice that advocates for our students’ needs.”
“I think it’s time we have someone on the board who really knows what our students are facing, right? I intend to do all I can to ensure that my brother, my sister, and every student in the district, like me, have the opportunities and resources they need to succeed,” Rhodes said.
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