This Q&A is part of Tiger Times Online’s coverage of the 2025 school board election. The election will take place on April 1. For more information, click here.

For a short bio about Matt Breihan, click here.

The following Q&A has not been edited, and are the responses provided by Matt Breihan via email, as he was unavailable for an person interview.

• Why are you running for the District 7 school board, and what’s the most important skill or experience you bring to the role?

I dedicated the final six years of my 20-year law enforcement career to serving District 7, where the safety and well-being of staff and students became my top priority. This role sparked a deep passion and appreciation for the district. During this time, I had the privilege of working alongside three different superintendents, numerous administrators, and witnessing the district’s evolution and shifting priorities firsthand. Even after retiring, I felt a strong desire to continue contributing to the school district and our community. Like many parents, I have concerns about the education my child receives, the district’s safety, and its overall direction. I’m running for the school board to deepen my understanding of the district, share my experience and values, and advocate for the community’s interests.

The most important skill I bring to this role is my knowledge of school safety and the laws related to school operations. During my time with District 7, I made numerous proposals to enhance school safety and look forward to the opportunity to contribute further or help advance the progress that has been made since my departure.

• Should you be elected, what specific policies would you like to see enacted or changed, and how would those changes specifically benefit students in our high school or in the other schools?

I would like to see a policy change that encourages and allows board members to actively engage with both the community and schools. It is essential for board members to connect directly with teachers, school leadership, and students. They should not rely solely on the superintendent’s comments and perceptions as their primary source of information when making decisions that significantly impact a student’s academic journey. Instead, they should have a clear understanding of the daily challenges faced by teachers, students, and staff before casting any votes.

In addition, Board members are elected to serve and represent the interests of the people. As such, they have a responsibility to stay connected with their community and make decisions that reflect the community’s best interests—even when those decisions may differ from their own personal beliefs.

• Are you in favor of increasing or decreasing school funding? If so, where would you propose those funds come from and where would they be allocated, or where would you cut back?

I would never advocate for reducing school funding; however, there are times when the district may not receive the anticipated revenue and cuts may have to be made if we are not prepared. As we are currently seeing, decreases in federal funding could directly impact District 7. This impact, however, can be mitigated through a focus on fiscal responsibility. We must eliminate wasteful spending and increase our cash reserves beyond the minimum 10%. Doing so will help cushion the district from external funding reductions and reduce the need for cuts.

When considering budget adjustments, we need to take a broad view and prioritize the district’s needs over its wants. Strategic planning should guide our budgeting process, ensuring that essential needs are fully funded, discretionary wants are responsibly designed and budgeted, and adequate reserves are maintained to handle unforeseen challenges.

• Who do you believe is the school board’s primary constituent? 

School board members are elected officials who represent all stakeholders—students, staff, parents, and taxpayers, including those without children in the district. In this role, every community member is a primary constituent. Board members should consider the community’s values and opinions, and cast their votes in a way that best reflects the community’s interests while working to achieve the goals of the school district.

• School boards, in general, have become more contentious and gained more attention in recent years with many larger political movements. Do you think any of the larger things we’ve seen in our country will affect our school board specifically?

Politics is a topic often avoided in schools, research projects, and debates because it is frequently viewed as an unwinnable subject, where facts can be distorted by personal opinions or partisan perspectives. Since school board members are meant to serve in a non-partisan capacity, they must actively work to overcome bias by fostering open communication—listening not only to one another but also to the broader community.

While board members can and should bring passion to their role, they must avoid pushing personal agendas or using their position to pursue individual goals that may not reflect the community’s interests. The board also has a responsibility to dispel rumors and address concerns related to political influences by being transparent about their decisions—clearly communicating the intent behind them, how they benefit the district, and how they align with the district’s established goals.

• Are you satisfied with the current curriculum offerings in our high school? If not, what changes would you advocate for, and why? Are there specific subjects or skills you feel are lacking?

As a parent of a middle school student, I am not yet fully familiar with all the courses and options available at the high school level. However, I am concerned about issues such as instructional time, the heavy reliance on technology, and the frequent changes in teaching methods—concerns that have been shared with me by teachers throughout my campaign. As a prospective board member, my goal is to learn more about these processes, engage with both students and staff, and provide the Superintendent with a fresh perspective.

• What specific resources and support systems should our district provide to address student mental health and well-being?

Every child deserves to feel safe and welcome at school—no exceptions. Teachers and staff build meaningful connections with their students, bonds that, in many cases, last a lifetime. Every student should have a trusted adult to turn to when in need, where they feel supported, not judged. This is one of the reasons I initiated the District’s first ‘Text-a-Tip’ program, which successfully addressed not only mental health concerns but also issues related to school safety, including violence and substance abuse.

However, I believe the district’s role should remain a supportive one, rather than being responsible for treating significant mental health issues. The district must establish clear boundaries on the level of support it provides and know when it is appropriate to involve a student’s family for further assistance.

• How would you ensure the school board is transparent and accountable to the community?

To ensure our School Board is transparent and accountable to the community, we need both a change in board leadership and policy. The board must acknowledge that it is not meeting the community’s expectations, and change is essential. Many of the school board candidates, including myself, are running because we are dissatisfied with the current decisions being made, the lack of transparency with the public, and we all have a desire to create positive change for the community. We should embrace the fresh, diverse perspectives that new board members bring, listen to the opinions they offer, and make changes that align with the needs of the community while staying true to the district’s values and goals.

• How do you plan to help all students become ready for college, careers, or other forms of post-secondary success?

While it’s important to prepare students for college and expose them to potential career interests, it’s also essential to recognize that not all students have the same goals. Many of our brave young men and women choose to join the military, and others pursue trade schools instead of traditional college paths. We must understand the unique interests and aspirations of each student, support the paths they are choosing, and provide the necessary educational resources to help them achieve their goals.

• How do you plan to avoid staff shortages in District 7 and ensure the district has high quality teachers?

There are several ways to address this issue, but the first step is to understand why teachers are leaving. It is crucial that the board, rather than the superintendent, takes the lead in identifying the root causes of teacher attrition. By pinpointing the reasons, we can make targeted adjustments to retain current teachers, attract new ones, and ultimately improve the overall quality of our teaching staff.

• What are your views on the recent push to change EHS to a 7-period day and changes to the start at end times?

I have mixed feelings on this issue because the research supports the change, and other districts have successfully implemented it. However, I have numerous questions and concerns that have not been addressed by the superintendent or the board. As a board member, if faced with this decision, I will seek clear answers to my questions and work with the superintendent to find a solution that minimizes the impact on the quality of life for students, staff, and parents.

Regardless of my personal beliefs, as an elected official representing the community, I am committed to voting in a way that reflects the interests of the majority. Just as with voting, we must encourage community involvement, design unbiased and understandable survey questions for those outside the education system, and ensure the integrity of the results.

• What are your views on efforts to replace the current bathrooms near the cafeteria with a single gender-neutral bathroom?

My perspective on this issue is driven solely by concerns for safety. This project was promoted under the vision of improving school safety, but it did not address the underlying problems that EHS faces daily. At the time, there were significant disciplinary issues and a lack of accountability at EHS. Many expressed their concerns, but the project moved forward without addressing these critical challenges. While a newly constructed bathroom in the commons may look appealing, it does nothing to resolve the vaping problems, the fights, or the fear students feel about using the bathrooms elsewhere in the building.

I have publicly shared my concerns regarding safety and the construction at two separate board meetings, and even submitted a document outlining my issues based on my experience at EHS over the years. I believe the superintendent and the board failed to fully engage the community in discussing the need and design of the bathrooms, and once again, money was spent irresponsibly on a project that could have been better allocated to other programs or initiatives.

• Give me your final pitch for why people should vote for you.

I encourage every voter to thoroughly research their candidates before casting their vote. Take the time to explore the candidate’s promotional websites or social media, speak with people who know them, review their accomplishments, and read their responses to questions like these. As a small business owner, former Police Officer, School Resource Officer, Sergeant, baseball coach, husband, and father of a child in the district, I bring a wide range of experience and expertise to the board. I am not afraid to say no, challenge the status quo, and advocate for those who have not been heard. With your vote, we can create the much-needed change our community deserves.