Muhammad Saqeeb

Why I'm running

I'm running for the East Brunswick Board of Education because I care about everyone in our community, and I want to ensure our schools are putting students first. When I eventually have children, I want to ensure that they and any of their friends do not have to face the level of alienation that I felt when I was a student in East Brunswick.

I live here. I started at Memorial Elementary School and graduated from East Brunswick High School.

All I know is East Brunswick.

I was a student who struggled to communicate, took special education classes, and had speech therapy. I know how isolating school can feel sometimes, especially for students who may not feel connected to their peers or their school community. I know how much it means for someone to listen and speak for those who are still developing their own voice.

When schools become an environment that builds relationships across cultures, it raises their confidence, empathy, and willingness to challenge what they don't know. Our schools should best equip our students with material conditions they are coming into this age of AI technology where they need to differentiate between truths and lies more critically.

I've been involved in bringing youth voices forward. I've worked directly with student clubs to help conduct toy drives for other schools in need because I believe every one of our students deserves an opportunity. I have advocated for students locally and worked to build diverse connections.

Every student should feel that they are seen, supported, respected, and given the opportunity to succeed.

That is why I would focus on students' mental health, school climate, and making sure every student feels like they belong. We need to build an environment that encourages the social and emotional well-being of each student and listens empathetically to each student.

Even our technology policies must come back to the root issue: empathy.

At the same time, putting students first means recognizing the financial pressures facing both our school district and our community.

I was a college student during the COVID-19 pandemic, and I, like many other community members, have felt the rising cost of inflation and its impact on housing, childcare, our communities' physical and mental health, and the nearly unaffordable healthcare premiums we are currently facing statewide.

Families are already dealing with rising costs for housing, childcare, healthcare, and everyday necessities. At the same time, the district must continue providing high-quality education while managing increasing operational costs.

As a Board of Education member, I would try my best to work with the team to find innovative solutions to help reduce the impact of these costs on our school community. I believe the Board must continue looking for responsible ways to control costs, protect essential programs and sports, and make sure taxpayer dollars are being used effectively.

Finally, I would make it a priority to listen to students, parents, teachers, and residents and improve communication so people understand what the Board is doing and why.

My experience in East Brunswick taught me how important it is for students to feel supported and connected. I know how much it matters for someone to listen when a student is still developing their voice.

I want students from all backgrounds and needs to feel that East Brunswick is their home for generations.

Free, Universal Full-Day Pre-K

Every 3- to 4-year-old should be guaranteed access to preschool. When our family first came to East Brunswick, we had to homeschool our sister because the district only offered a half-day program. Working families should not have to choose between losing work hours and paying for private full-day preschool.

New Jersey already provides a path for districts to expand preschool through district classrooms, qualified providers, Head Start, and State funding. East Brunswick should use that flexibility to build toward universal full-day Pre-K.

Move the 9–12 High School Capital Project Forward

Our high school was built in 1957. We cannot keep spending money on temporary fixes and aging infrastructure. We were already talking about the need for a new high school when I graduated in 2016, yet we have continued relying on temporary solutions.

We should move the capital project forward, scrutinize every change order, and make sure the design is built for decades ahead.

No Fees for Student Clubs & Activities

Clubs, athletics, music, trips, and extracurricular programs are where students build friendships, confidence, talents, and a sense of belonging. These are not extras.

Students can already face hundreds of dollars in participation costs before equipment, clothing, and trips. Access to school activities should not depend on whether a family can afford another fee.

Better Healthcare for Students & Staff

Every child in East Brunswick deserves access to healthcare. When students are struggling physically, socially, or emotionally, it affects attendance, learning, and the resources schools need to support them.

We should partner with healthcare and mental-health providers and, where feasible, provide services on school property. Earlier access can reduce avoidable claims and delayed-care costs for staff while we also review insurance, pharmacy, and prescription contracts to lower the district’s overall healthcare costs.

Expand Special Education in East Brunswick

As a student who spent years in classrooms alongside students with very different needs, one of the first things you learn is kindness. We should bring more specialized programs and services into East Brunswick where we can provide them effectively.

We get there in phases—use the space we already have, add specialists and programs that fit, and design future facilities with in-district special-education space from the beginning.

Responsible AI + Technology

Students need to develop reading, writing, creativity, research, and critical-thinking skills before relying on generative AI.

Before implementing a district-wide AI policy, we need to understand the technology and infrastructure we already have and how we will protect student privacy and prevent exposure to inappropriate or misleading material. A phone ban will not functionally stop students from using AI. The sooner we understand where AI is useful, where it creates risks, and how students are already using it, the sooner we can protect our children and prepare them for the world outside school.