Brayden Myer completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Myer's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
Three members currently on the school board who, when they were voted in, brought many positive changes to our district. The implementation of a successful reading curriculum, Success for All, drove our district's reading scores up 20% in its first year. Previously, endless amounts of cash were spent on the previous failing curriculum. They passed a policy on controversial issues in the classroom to ensure when such topics are discussed, they are done so from a neutral perspective. They removed all covid restrictions to allow students to go back to living a normal school life. Furthermore, they never caved to the constant pressure of special interest groups since day one. This was all helped with the hiring of an effective superintendent and assistant superintendent, who were monumental in implementing their vision for the district. These are just a few of the countless positive aspects of their tenure. The names of these board members are Tony Vlastelica, Matthew Spaulding, and Matthew Phipps, known collectively as the two Matts & Tony, and I plan to carry the torch of these officials who were fundamental in changing our district for the better.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Note: Myer submitted the above survey responses to Ballotpedia on March 26, 2025.
I am a lifelong resident of Manitowoc, which I am proud to call my home. In high school, I enrolled in the Rising Phoenix program. Through that, I earned dual credits for Lincoln High School and the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. In June 2023, when I graduated from high school, I earned my Associate’s Degree and 91 college credits. In December 2023, I graduated with my Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, being designated Magna Cum Laude. I minored in Public Administration & Democracy and Justice Studies, and I earned a certificate in Organizational Development. I am a lifetime member of the National Society of High School Scholars, Phi Theta Kappa, and Phi Sigma Pi.
I believe in fiscally responsible spending. The district needs to spend only what it needs to spend, eliminating all instances of wasteful spending to reduce the number of times the district deems necessary to put a referendum on the ballot.
Our facilities need to be maintained. If the district keeps waiting on the various needs of our facilities, more problems will form. As more form, more costs develop to fix, which could have been prevented.
As the district is searching for its next superintendent, we need someone who is open, honest, transparent, and nonpartisan.
I am passionate about a variety of areas of public policy that affect public education, including, but not limited to, school choice, quality curriculum, student and staff safety, equal opportunities, merit-based hiring, single-sex facilities, fairness in sports, and more.
Transparency is a must-have for all elected officials. When voting and discussing issues, their reasoning should be made clear as to why they chose to take the stance they did. I do not believe in shying away from issues because they are controversial. Doing so displays a lack of leadership. Civility must be upheld. Too much in modern government, and politics in general, are shouting matches held with arms flailing and scoffing at people who have a different viewpoint. Effective communication must be demonstrated with staff, fellow board members, and members of the public. Having knowledge and expertise of issues and policies being discussed is necessary to make an informed decision. If someone does not know as much as they need, they must take time to learn and receive advice. As members of the public will have differing viewpoints on all subjects, elected officials should possess good listening skills. These are just a few of many important qualities of an elected official.
I am the only candidate in this race who has the viewpoint of the modern student, a fresh perspective that is needed on the board. This allows me to understand student culture and needs on a personal level. I have witnessed student discipline problems first-hand. I have experience serving in the government and assisting constituents for Congressman Glenn Grothman. During my time serving on boards of directors, I have developed and improved leadership and communication skills, built community connections, and budgeted conservatively, among other important qualities and experiences. I served on the district's Ad Hoc Student Behavior Advisory Committee to reform student handbooks and improve student behavior. I was the only student to serve on that committee.
I want to turn the MPSD into a golden district where parents nearby will look at us and want to move here. The MPSD should be the example where districts all around will be comparing themselves to commit to being more like us. The independent thinking skills taught to the young generation will give them what they need to grow up and lead us into prosperity. I see the MPSD as a district where parents will have their rights over their children's education preserved for the benefit of the community. I see a district where women will have women-only rooms and sports protected so only women can participate in them. With support for proper curriculum, student scores can rise above what they currently are. By being fiscally responsible and avoiding wasteful spending, funds can be spent wisely in order to receive effective returns that benefit all community members.
Members of the school board are tasked with promoting the public interest to create the best schools for the children in our community. Board members will have to listen to both sides of an argument in order to make an informed decision when voting. They are responsible for adopting the district's annual budget, while the administration prepares the budget. The administration, sometimes with the assistance of a third party, searches for quality staff, which board members can be involved in any part of the process. Board members make the final decision whether to hire staff. They also are in charge of making decisions to comply with local, state, and federal laws and regulations. The superintendent is tasked with implementing the policies of the school district and fulfilling the requests of the board. The superintendent helps develop the district's strategic plan and brings proposals as to how to fix the various needs of our district. If given the honor of serving as one of your next school board members, I will fulfill my duties to the best of my ability in this nonpartisan, voluntary, unpaid position, and I will never vote to give board members a salary.
One great way to do this would be to allow parents and community members to volunteer in the classroom. Volunteering in the classroom is a great way for parents to invest in their children’s education. Grandparents as well. This would provide parents with an opportunity to get to know their children’s teachers more. Volunteers can help in places that suit their skills or provide skills not offered by others. Outside of classes, people could volunteer to assist student clubs, extracurricular activities, and at events. If someone is looking toward a career in education, volunteering in the classroom would be great experience for that person. Someone who volunteers in the classroom today could be a future educator for our district. A range of community members volunteering would allow for valuable feedback. They could work with teachers and offer solutions to classroom problems. Volunteers would provide students, teachers, and our district as a whole with extra support.
The previous school board majority passed a Parental Bill of Rights to ensure parents have the ultimate authority in their children's education. They also gave board members key fobs to ensure they can enter the buildings they govern, no different from a company owner entering his building. The Parental Bill of Rights and key fobs have since been revoked under new board leadership, but I am determined to bring these back as policy. Right now, our district has 2024 Title IX rules in their policy that cannot be legally enforced. These need to revert to the 2020 rules, as well as to reduce the risk of losing federal funding.
An ideal learning environment is one where all students are respected and treated equally. One where no instances of personal, political, and ideological agendas are present, which ensures lessons are fair and neutral. A learning environment also needs to deal with conflict safely and effectively. This includes tackling student discipline issues, which I have witnessed as a student in today's education system. An important step in tackling student discipline issues is to ensure staff receives adequate training on how to deal with any instances which may arise and are up-to-date on district protocols. A school resource officer should be present always to prevent any threats from escalating and occurring.
I was in my freshman year of high school in March 2020 when the school board voted to send students home. Nationwide, an increase in the number of students who were depressed occurred after they were sent home. The following school year, students were given the option of attending virtually or going back to school with covid protocols. These included mandatory masking and social distancing, which did not stop the spread. Not being able to see the faces of their fellow students negatively impacted their well-being and felt dehumanizing. I do not support mandatory lockdowns and unscientific protocols.
It is crucial that the district hires and maintains quality staff, a necessary component in driving the success of our district. Being competitive with nearby districts allows quality candidates to apply at our own. Currently, our district is competitive with neighboring districts, offering an average staff salary of $65,000 and $39,000 in benefits. When hiring, candidates must be chosen on qualification and merit. I highly oppose race and gender quotas for hiring, and all else, which is illegal under the Civil Rights Act. I believe all instances of DEI, the new name for affirmative action, must be eliminated.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Note: Myer submitted the above survey responses to Ballotpedia on February 16, 2025.
Other survey responses
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