:quality(70):focal(2838x905:2848x915)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/BTN45P7GKFHGLJHGOKMN5U2OOU.jpg)
Full Name: Brett Ryan
What office are you seeking? Nettle Creek CCSD 24 School Board Member
What is your political party? N/A. School board member is a nonpartisan race.
What is your current age? 41
Occupation and Employer: Operations Director at a data center company.
What offices, if any, have you previously held? I have not served in any elected positions prior to running for school board.
City: Morris
Campaign Website: brettforliberty.com
Education:
- Bachelor of Science, Computer Science, Illinois College
- Master of Business Administration, Brenau University
- Graduate of the Naval Nuclear Program (Electrician’s Mate, submarines)
- Previously held a Senior Reactor Operator License at LaSalle County Generating Station
Community involvement:
- Previous board member of Nettle Creek Country Club Estates Homeowners’ Association
- Morris Soccer Association Volunteer Soccer Coach
- Lifetime member of Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
Marital status/Immediate family: I’ve been married to my lovely wife Sandi for 10 years. We have two boys, ages 8 and 5.
Why are you running for office?
I’ve been interested in running for school board for quite some time now. I’ve always had a desire to contribute and to help our school maintain excellence. Most recently, I’ve resolved to stand-up and speak-out for my and others’ children following the lack of liberty in the government’s response to Covid-19.
What makes you qualified for the office you’re seeking?
After college, I joined the Navy and served on a submarine. I completed my service in 2010 and started working for Constellation (Exelon), eventually getting married and settling in Morris, choosing to live in the Nettle Creek school district due to its stellar reputation. I’ve held progressively higher levels of responsibility, both at my former nuclear plant, as well as at my current employer. I would like to leverage my experience and collaborate with the school board to lead the school and its students.
Have you sought and/or received any training to run for your local school board? If so, from whom?
Yes, the Leadership Institute.
Would you propose any changes to the curriculum? If so, what?
None at this time. I would ensure that the current policy of opting-out of the National Sex Education Standards is maintained.
Are LGBTQ students treated fairly in your district?
All students are treated fairly in our district with the best intentions for their well-being and growth.
What is your assessment of how Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is handled in your school district?
Very well.
Do you believe the district needs to make any changes to improve DEI in your district?
No.
Are teachers in your district paid adequately now and in retirement?
Yes, taking into account the particulars of the school.
Would you support changes to teacher pay scales? If so, how?
No.
What is your assessment of the district superintendent’s compensation?
Fair for the district.
Would you make any changes to how the district superintendent is compensated?
No.
Do you support the current superintendent? Please explain.
Yes. Mrs. Darlington is a professional that puts her heart into her work. She is always available to communicate and work with parents to support her students.
Should schools in your district adopt and teach sex education according to the National Sex Education Standards? Please explain.
No. Our school’s current policy has opted-out; this should be maintained to ensure that parents (as well as district taxpayers funding the school) have the ultimate say in what their children learn and when they do so.
What is your assessment of how the COVID-19 pandemic was handled locally?
I feel that while our school handled it better than the vast majority of schools in the state, there were definite areas of improvement; specifically in terms of masking our children and providing services to children, such as speech.
What did you learn from the pandemic?
The great Thomas Sowell said, “There are no solutions. There are only trade-offs.” The trade-offs associated with the decisions made to address the pandemic have ultimately done more harm than good, especially to our schoolchildren. I learned that we as parents and citizens need to be vigilant. I’ve learned that decisions need to be made at the smallest polity possible; that one-size-fits-all mandates and guidance from federal or state government do not allow for individual freedom and are most often incorrect.
Are voters that support your district taxed at an appropriate level?
I believe that all taxes are too high in Illinois, due to decades of fiscal mismanagement by both Democrats and Republicans. With that being said, our school is small and while spending-per-pupil is higher than neighboring districts, it is mostly due to the small number of students in the district. The school budget is certainly fiscally responsible with little to no room to achieve savings. The bigger issue is a lack of funding from state sources that other schools in Illinois enjoy. The costs at Nettle Creek are borne nearly entirely by the district taxpayers, with little state funding to provide relief.
Would you support any plans to raise taxes in the district? If so, what should the additional revenue be spent on?
Absolutely not. Illinoisans are already taxed at one of the highest rates in our country.
Would you support lowering taxes in the district? If so, what programs or services in the district would you cut?
Lowering taxes is always the right answer. However, the current budget, due to the great work of previous boards and administrators, is already at a level where there is little room to find cost savings for the district taxpayers.
Will you accept the voters’ decision in your race on Election Day?
Yes.
What is your position on open, transparent government?
The US government, and subsidiary governments, was originally enacted to secure the rights of its people and to protect those rights. Sadly, that has morphed into the leviathan that exists today. Open, transparent government is absolutely necessary. As the saying goes, sunlight is the best disinfectant.
Do you support the Freedom of Information Act and citizens’ ability to freely access government records?
Absolutely. There should be no need for the Freedom of Information Act; all records should be readily available. However, since governments have decided that they are no longer beholden to their constituents, at least FOIA requests provide a mechanism to help expose and hold officeholders accountable.