Dan Severson

Non-Partisan | Florida

Candidate Profile

Verified Conservative

BIOGRAPHY

Name

Dan Severson

Party

Non-Partisan

Election Year

2022

Election

General

Race

The School District of Lee County School Board, District 4

Incumbent

No

Links

Dan Severson websites
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EDUCATION

St Cloud State University, St Cloud, MN, BA, 1978

WORK & MILITARY

US Navy, Commander, 22

AFFILIATIONS

Wings of Mercy, Pilot, Place of Hope Ministries

Board Member, Jubilee Worship Center, Elder

Minnesota House of Representatives, State Representative

POLITICAL OFFICES HELD

State Representative, 8

POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT

MN Secretary of State, 2010, 2014

Race

View election

Previous Races

SCORECARDS

CONSERVATIVE ORGANIZATIONS

National Rifle Association (NRA)

  

2020

92%

National Rifle Association (NRA)

  

2020

|

92%



LIBERAL ORGANIZATIONS

ENDORSEMENTS

CONSERVATIVE (1)

Christian Conservative Coalition

REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (1)

Former Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran, Conservative Christian Coalition, Republican Liberty Caucus, Lee County Republican Party

SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS

CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (1)

State Republican Party Organizations (2013)

RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (9)

Fighting for our Future (2022)

Free Markets for Florida (2022)

Freedom Club (2014)

Just the Facts PAC (2022)

Local, County, and District Republican Organizations (2014)


SELECTED FINANCIAL SOURCE DOCUMENTS

Campaign Finance Documents:

  • Campaign Treasurer's Report (12/1/2021 - 12/31/2021)
    • $125.00 contribution from Trump Republican Club
  • Campaign Treasurer's Report (1/1/2022 - 1/31/2022)
  • Campaign Treasurer's Report (2/1/2022 - 2/28/2022)
  • Campaign Treasurer's Report (3/1/2022 - 3/31/2022)
  • Campaign Treasurer's Report (4/1/2022 - 4/30/2022)
  • Campaign Treasurer's Report (5/1/2022 - 5/31/2022)
  • Campaign Treasurer's Report (6/1/2022 - 6/17/2022)
  • Campaign Treasurer's Report (6/18/2022 - 7/1/2022)
  • Campaign Treasurer's Report (7/2/2022 - 7/15/2022)
  • Campaign Treasurer's Report (7/16/2022 - 7/22/2022)
  • Campaign Treasurer's Report (7/23/2022 - 7/29/2022)
  • Campaign Treasurer's Report (7/30/2022 - 8/5/2022)
  • Campaign Treasurer's Report (8/6/2022 - 8/18/2022)
    • $8.90 in expenditure to Anedot
  • Campaign Treasurer's Report (8/19/2022 - 8/26/2022)
  • Campaign Treasurer's Report (8/27/2022 - 9/9/2022)
    • $250.00 contribution from Trump Republican Club Inc.
    • $93.80 in expenditure to Anedot

OTHER INFORMATION

Filing Documents:

Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey

Lee County School Board Candidate Forum (June 15, 2022)

Please note: this information was received by iVoterGuide after panel evaluations occurred and is for additional educational purposes only.

Voter Record from the Florida Department of State indicates candidate's Political Affiliation is Republican (as of 6/23/2022).

Election Voting History for Dan Severson during time of residence in district and/or at current address:

  • Voted in 1 Primary election (2020)
  • Voted in 2 Presidential Preferential Primary elections (2016 - 2020)
  • Voted in 2 General elections (2016 - 2018)

**Voter history is not considered during panel evaluations.**

QUESTIONNAIRE

RIGHT TO LIFE

Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not be a resource for instruction or services in the school.

Strongly Agree

Abortion is the taking of a human life. We must teach them to respect life and that abortion is not an acceptable solution.

Human life begins at conception and deserves legal protection at every stage until natural death.

Strongly Agree

Life is a miracle of God. The fifth commandment is "Thou shall not Murder". The intentional taking of a life is forbidden by God. Even more importantly, the justification of taking a life creates a hardness of conscience which in turn is the filter through which other decisions are made. That hardening of the conscience now makes other choices that previously would have been unthinkable, acceptable. Hence the scripture in 1 Timothy 1:19, "concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck."

ECONOMY

Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.

Strongly Agree

"The pursuit of happiness" that is stated in the Declaration of Independence is a tenant on which our founders built individual liberties. The freedom of self-determination is bound up in the security of knowing that ones home and possessions are secure from theft and can be developed for future prosperity. Communism or socialism removes those incentives and reduces life to mere existence with little to no hope of reaching ones greatest potential.

School districts should be able to use taxpayer money for lobbying the state legislature.

Strongly Disagree

In essence, the use of taxpayer dollars to lobby the taxpayer to pay more taxes does nothing but increase bureaucracy. That bureaucracy further removes the ability of the taxpayer/ voter from any kind of system reform needed to correct the unforeseen consequences of a bloated government.

What is your position on government funding of public education from Pre-K through college?

I oppose funding past K-12. One could argue that in the early 1900's when school was k-8, the testing for completion of 8th grade was much more stringent than todays 12th grade exit exams. Additionally, more students should explore the trades rather than going directly into college which only delays the ability to enter the workforce and build capital and experience.

RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

At school, students should be able to speak freely and civilly about matters of conscience and faith, including Christianity.

Strongly Agree

The first amendment guarantees freedom of speech because our founders believed in open discourse and peaceful exchange of ideas. Only dictatorships, authoritative and autocratic forms of government fear open discourse of ideas. That presupposes a truthful foundation of historical events on which to draw. Our nation founded upon Christian/Judeo values which in essence means, "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" and has been the most successful form of government in human history

School districts should not discriminate against individuals, organizations or small businesses because of their belief that marriage is only a union of one man and one woman.

Strongly Agree

As a function of local government, constitutional framework must guide public policy. Individual beliefs in pursuit of a livelihood must be protected from undue government oversight and influence in matters of the conscience, particularly if they do not adversely affect the average citizen.

Students should not be allowed to pray in school.

Strongly Disagree

EDUCATION

What is the function of the local school board?

To represent the values and standards of the community that elects them. Insure tax dollars are being used effectively and efficiently and that the voice of the community has both opportunity and recourse to be heard and enact needed change. The Board is a policy making organization that ensures the metrics that are delineated by that policy are being enacted. The oversight of the Superintendent creates the chain of authority to hold accountable those who work underneath that structure. If there is dysfunction in the implementation of a process, it is the Superintendent who addresses the issue while the school board ensures by follow-up that the answers are in accordance with established policy. School Board members engaged directly with parental issues or conflicts undermines the Superintendents ability to effectively deal with the issues and holding people accountable. This causes chaos and a drain on time and resources. The Boards greatest oversight comes in holding the Superintendent accountable and providing him with the resources needed to carry out the stated purpose through stated policy.

Who should have the authority to set curriculum and determine resources used in those curricula?

A School Board appointed collaborative group of parents and teachers supported by a minimal number of administrative staff.

When should parents be restricted from speaking in school board meetings?

Never.

Please list in order the following priorities in relation to the role of a K-12 public school (omitting any that do not apply): Mathematics, Information Technology, Science, Political Activism, Personal Finances, Gender Identity, Physical Fitness, American History, Critical Race Theory, Language Arts, Art & Music, Vocational Learning, Sexuality, Foreign Language, Social Emotional Learning

American History, Language Arts, mathematics, physical fitness, Arts and music, Vocational Learning, Personal finances and Foreign language.

American civics education should emphasize our nation's founding principles of liberty and equality.

Strongly Agree

In order to make positive plans for the future one must use lessons learned from the past. Struggles are inevitable but learning from the past struggles makes a way for fewer future struggles provided the source of our history is not rewritten to accommodate a socialist agenda set to undermine our liberties.

Before students are taught courses such as Comprehensive Sex Ed (CSE) or Social Emotional Learning (SEL), they must opt-in with written parental permission.

Strongly Agree

Parents must be the filter for the educational needs of the child. Government may influence the child for 12-13 years but the parents relationship with the child is for a lifetime. Indoctrination into these programs directly affects the nuclear family and exposure to these programs must be with the knowledgeable consent of the parent.

The loss of local control in education is too high a price to pay in exchange for federal dollars.

Strongly Agree

All education should be influenced by the parent and teacher only. The federal government has no place in the k-12 or even the higher education arena. Bureaucrats make bureaucrats.

I support the teaching of curricula (such as the 1619 Project, No Place for Hate, Second Step, etc.) that emphasizes slavery and racism as the foundation of American history.

Strongly Disagree

This curriculum is corrosive to our national vision of "Out of many, One". It undermines the concept "that all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights."

Parents are the ultimate authority in their child’s education and should be able to freely pursue whatever educational options they deem best for their child.

Strongly Agree

The family unit determines the strength of our society and the protection of the nuclear family should be our first measure of success. Parents must have the final say on all options and must be informed of any actions that effect the wellbeing of the child.

VALUES

Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.

I believe the Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that there is only one way to right relationship with Father God and that is through believing in Jesus Christ and giving Him first place in all I do.

I support allowing public high school students to participate in athletic competition based on the gender with which they identify instead of biological sex.

Strongly Disagree

Nope, not fair.

Who is responsible for teaching sexual education to children, and what is the appropriate age when it should be taught?

Parents are responsible because they will bear the fruit of their decisions for a lifetime. Appropriate age is relative to the maturity of the child which differs with each child. That is why is must be at the sole discretion of the parent.

If you support the teaching of Sex Ed, please answer the following question: Sexual education should include these topics (list all that apply and add your own, if needed) -- Physical and emotional health outcomes; contraceptive methods; consent; abstinence; sexual orientation and gender identity; human anatomy/the reproductive system; abortion methods and side effects; stages of pregnancy and fetal development; sex acts and pleasures of sex

Family issue.

Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality that is necessary for our system of limited government.

Strongly Agree

No healthcare diagnosis or treatment, whether mental, reproductive, or otherwise, should be given to a child without first receiving written consent from the parent.

Strongly Agree

No school official should be involved in the sexual transitioning of a student, including the use of alternative names and pronouns.

Strongly Agree

ELECTIONS AND VOTING

People should be able to vote without photo identification.

Strongly Disagree

verifiable elections are the foundation of a free government.

ABOUT YOU

Have you ever been convicted of a felony or been penalized in either civil or criminal court for sexual misconduct? If so, please explain.

No

A candidate's personal moral values should not be relevant when considering a candidacy for elective office.

Strongly Disagree

Their moral base is the platform from which decisions are made. Corrupt platform, corrupt decisions.

When you consider your views on a wide range of issues from economic and social matters to foreign policy and religious liberty, which of the following best describes you overall?

Very Conservative

Please provide publicly available information, including interviews and media reports, validating your answer to the previous question (other than your website).

I served in the Minnesota Legislature for 8 years and authored many bills. Marriage between one man and one women, conceal carry, improving Veteran Benefits and many others. You can google my name and visit the legislative website, www.Irl.mn.gov. It has numerous floor speeches and interviews as well as my farewell speech from the House floor.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about you?

I believe that the Lord has given each of us talents to invest and to serve each other. I have been blessed with opportunity and service with many exceptional people which have given me an knowledge base on which to lead and make decisions based on that extensive experience. One does not retire in the Kingdom of God, one just moves on to the next adventure. For me, this is His calling for this time and it would be my honor to serve the people of Lee county School Board district 4 in this capacity. I am asking for your support and your vote, thank you and God bless you.

2ND AMENDMENT

Teachers who are licensed to carry should be allowed to carry guns at school.

Strongly Agree

I support the Guardian Program.

OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES

Under what circumstances (if any) should schools be allowed to require vaccinations?

Never.

I support mask mandates.

Strongly Disagree

Parental choice, not schools.

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