Leon County School Board member Dee Dee Rasmussen is resigning. Her departure from the board means the seat will come available for a special election this Fall.
In a statement, Rasmussen says her decision to resign follows some recent health issues coupled with the stress of serving on the board amid a global pandemic that saw school shutdowns, and intense battles over local mask mandates.
Rasmussen was first elected to the school board in 2008. Her current term is up in 2024. She chaired the board three times during her years in public office. The most recent stint as board chair came at the start of the pandemic. Rasmussen initially supported many of the district’s COVID-19 protocols, but later reversed some of her positions as the board dealt with a state battle over district mask mandates and faced backlash from some parents and groups.
Rasmussen said she is grateful for the experience of representing District 4. She said her more moderate takes on issues appear to be “going out of style.”
"I just think it’s time. For one thing – over my entire career in government, I believe I have contributed the most by being able to negotiate compromise(s). I’ve been a moderate voice, trying to carefully weigh the pros and cons, taking the high road without publicly admonishing others. Maybe my approach is going to be out of style for the time being, until (hopefully) the political pendulum swings back toward the middle at some point. Meanwhile, I want to do this in the most responsible way possible – meaning, I need to vacate the seat in time to let the voters of District 4 choose their next representative on the School Board,” she said.
District 4 covers most of the Northwest side of the county and the students who live there primarily attend the following schools: Chiles, Leon and Godby High Schools; Deerlake, Raa and Griffin Middle Schools; Killearn Lakes, Hawks Rise, Gilchrist, Canopy Oaks and Springwood Elementary Schools.
