Mark VanDriel
Republican | Colorado
Candidate Profile
Conservative (Conditional)
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Mark VanDriel
Party
Republican
Election Year
2022
Election
General
Race
Regent, Univ. of Colorado, Dist. 8
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
University of South Carolina, Columbia, PhD, 2017
University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, BA, 2009
WORK & MILITARY
Candidate did not provide
AFFILIATIONS
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Candidate did not provide
Race
ENDORSEMENTS
OTHER (1)
Colorado Young Republicans
OTHER INFORMATION
VanDriel completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022.
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not be a resource for instruction or services in the school.
Strongly Agree
I believe that teachers should be responsible for their curriculum. This creates a simple level of accountability because a singular person is fully responsible for the quality of education they provide. I generally oppose the outsourcing of educational instruction and services to non-accountable parties. This is particularly true on issues of moral value.
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
Ectopic pregnancies certainly, and generally when doing so is part of a treatment to directly save the life of the mother.
ECONOMY
It is the government’s responsibility to ensure everyone has a livable income.
Disagree
I believe that we have a collective responsibility, through the government, to provide for children and the disabled. I believe that most adults deserve the free right to their labor and the products of their labor.
What is your position on government funding of public education from Pre-K through college?
Public education is a great thing. There are many great ways to educate children, and while I think the government should fund this education, I also believe that school choice benefits all of society. However, as a parent of a child in Pre-K, I don't believe that Pre-K is something that the government does particularly well, because the academic curriculum is of secondary importance to socialization and values education. I think our current system where most pre-school is private works reasonably well for preparing children for kindergarten. There are certain ways that further government spending on pre-K might be a good idea, if it doesn't take away from family choice but does open up accessibility to more families. Public funding of college education is far more complicated. Government subsidies for community, technical, and vocational schools has a long history of helping adults attain the training they need to enter or change many careers, and I consider this to be a successful system. However, government spending on baccalaureate education has bloated costs, increased time in college, and lowered the quality of education. I think most schemes for further government intervention in baccalaureate and post-baccalaureate education are unlikely to help attain greater workforce preparedness, while increasing both private and public costs, and thus should be avoided.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Governments should define marriage as between one man and one woman; no other definition of marriage should be legalized or supported with taxpayer or public funds.
Agree
As a matter of religious liberty, I do not believe that government should have any involvement in marriage whatsoever.
The Ten Commandments should not be displayed in public school buildings or court houses.
Strongly Disagree
The Ten Commandments form a canon of ancient historical values. They are a beautiful link to the past, and especially to the tradition from which American government comes. I believe that those values should be welcome in the public sphere.
At school, students should be able to speak freely and civilly about matters of conscience and faith, including Christianity.
Strongly Agree
Students cannot learn without thinking and speaking. Civil dialogues on values, conscience, and faith are enormous public goods and should be encouraged in schools.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The best way to maintain peace is through a strong military.
Agree
EDUCATION
Every state should mandate K-12 standardized tests and the use of teaching software which aligns with Common Core standards.
Strongly Disagree
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
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
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
The loss of local control in education is too high a price to pay in exchange for federal dollars.
Strongly Agree
VALUES
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality that is necessary for our system of limited government.
Agree
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
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am a Christian, and I believe that God endowed humanity with free will. We have the ability to good and the the responsibility to make good choices. I believe that Truth exists and can be understood.
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
ABOUT YOU
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?
Conservative
Please provide publicly available information, including interviews and media reports, validating your answer to the previous question (other than your website).
n/a
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
What books have had the most profound impact on your view of life?
The Gospel of John, the Acts of the Apostles, and Revelation in particular, but the Bible generally comes first. A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken, Til We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis, and The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery are books I reread and continue to find meaning in. Space, Centennial, and Caravans by James Michener are my favorite historical fiction. I enjoy reading middle-grade books on occasion - particulary the Prydian Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander, the Enchanted Forest by Patricia Wrede, and the Tiffany Aching series by Terry Pratchett. Lastly, the books my children have asked me to read to them repeatedly will always have particular places in my heart. (My children are quite young, so Dr. Seuss's ABCs, Green Eggs and Ham, and One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, Olivier Dunrea's Gossie books, James Dean's Pete the Cat books, and the Froggy books by Jonathan London).
Is there anything else you would like voters to know about you?
Anyone who has concerns or questions can find contact information for me on my campaign website. I will personally read and respond to any and all questions.
I voted in these primaries and general elections:
2012 Republican Primary 2012 General Election 2014 Republican Primary 2014 General Election 2016 Republican Primary 2016 General Election 2018 Republican Primary 2018 General Election 2020 Republican Primary 2020 General Election
2ND AMENDMENT
Teachers who are licensed to carry should be allowed to carry guns at school.
Neutral
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
Do you support mandatory vaccinations for children attending public school?
Yes
I support mask mandates.
Disagree
