Bettie Ray Butler

Bettie Ray Butler is a Professor of Urban Education and Director of the Master’s of Education (M.Ed.) in Urban Education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte). She also leads the Student Discipline Joint Task Force and focuses on equity, representation, and social justice in education. Her work addresses racial and gender disparities in school discipline through restorative frameworks.

Dr. Butler holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction (Urban Education) from Texas A&M University (2011), an M.A. in Political Science (Public Administration) from Texas A&M, and a B.A. in Political Science and Criminal Justice from North Carolina A&T State University and Duke University.

Her research emphasizes culturally responsive classroom management, restorative practices, and the hypercriminalization of Black girls in schools. Notable contributions include co-authoring Un-silencing youth trauma (2022) and Mentoring while white (2022). She received the 2023 Distinguished Faculty Award from the Cato College of Education.

Recent publications (2021–2024) explore Black femininity, trauma-informed education post-pandemic, and bridging data-to-solutions gaps in school discipline. Her work intersects with community partnerships, such as roles at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education and Veritas Community Charter School.

Dr. Butler advocates for systemic equity through policy reform, mentorship of Black students, and culturally sustaining pedagogies. Her research bridges academic rigor with community-driven solutions to address disparities in urban education.