Riffey, Matt

Meet the Candidate

Running For:
School Board
District:
Queen Creek Unified School District
Phone:
(480) 200-2566
Age:
55
Occupation:
Compliance Program Manager
Education:
B.S. Business Administration, M.P.A. Public Administration
Biographical Info:

I grew up in southern Colorado in a small town. My family and I have lived in the Queen Creek area for nearly 20 years. I have four daughters two of which graduated from Queen Creek High School. I enjoy cooking, playing the guitar, working on cars, reading and being an empty nester.

Statement:

I am running for re-election to the QCUSD Governing Board for several reasons.

– To be part of helping all students succeed
– To give back to my community
-To stay involved in our schools and help shape their direction
-I enjoy being part of an award winning district with amazing teachers and staff
-To keep politics and ideologies out of our schools
-To help ensure responsible use of tax payer dollars

Survey

Response Legend

  • SSupports
  • OOpposes
  • *Comment
  • −Declined to respond
  • †Declined to respond, Position based on citation

Question Response Comments/Notes
1. Requiring district and charter school officials, including teachers, to inform parents about their child’s social, mental, emotional, or physical health. S* Parents should always be informed about any issue or concern that might affect the well-being of their children.
2. Allowing parents to opt their children out of activities or lessons that offend their personal, moral, or religious beliefs. S* I believe parents should have this right.
3. Increasing state and local taxes to provide more funding for schools and school facility projects. S* Bonds and overrides are never easy. It is asking people to pay more for education. If schools can articulate the needs, and people will listen with an open mind, there is common ground. Growing districts especially need the ability to ask the taxpayers to help invest in their communities.
4. Requiring signed permission from a parent before a student may participate in any sexuality related instruction, activities, or clubs. S* No brainer.
5. Allowing all parents to use tax credits and publicly funded empowerment scholarship accounts to enable their children to attend any private, homeschool, or online academy of their choice. S* Parent choice, parent choice, parent choice! Not every school situation fits every student.
6. Making available books and instructional materials that include sexually explicit images and themes in school classrooms and libraries. O* Why would we do this? To what end?
7. Acquiring parental consent for school faculty and staff to refer to students by pronouns that do not align with the student’s birth sex. S
8. Allocating teacher pay raises based upon merit rather than providing uniform salary schedule increases based upon years of teaching or additional credentialing (e.g. master’s degrees) S* I believe merit pay is most appropriate. Longevity is fine but it does not indicate someone is good at their vocation.
9. Implementing policies to allow students and faculty to use the restroom, locker room, and shower room based on self-identification rather than biological sex. O
10. Teaching what is known as diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI); social, emotional learning (SEL); or critical race theory (CRT) in public schools. O
11. Requiring each district and charter school to post online a list of all curriculum and instructional materials being used in the classroom. S