Carl J. Petersen
Bio
Carl Petersen is a parent advocate for students with SpEd needs and public education. As a Green Party candidate in LAUSD’s District 2 School Board race, he was endorsed by Network for Public Education (NPE) Action. Opinions are his own.
Stories (308)
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Live Aid: The Day The Music Mattered
“If there`s a problem, you have to go out and solve it.” – Sir Bob Geldof The summer of 1985 marked a turning point: freshly graduated from high school, I took a job as Head Counselor at the local Cub Scout Camp and skipped our family's vacation for the first time. As my parents prepared to leave, my Mom handed me her credit card with a strict warning: “This is just for emergencies.”
By Carl J. Petersen5 months ago in Art
LACOE Charter School Oversight Is Broken—And It's About to Get Worse
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” – George Santayana The Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) has repeatedly prioritized the political ideology of charter school expansion over the academic success and physical safety of students, as evidenced by its mishandling of the North Valley Military Institute (NVMI). This charter school had been slated for closure by the LAUSD because of its overwhelming failures during its first charter term and had appealed to the county in an attempt to remain open. Upholding the elected LAUSD board would send a clear message that charter schools need to show superior results if they want to continue receiving funds diverted from the public education system.
By Carl J. Petersen6 months ago in The Swamp
Hope Out Of Chaos
“Maybe life is up and down But my life's been 'what' till now” – Limp Bizkit Science says that the Earth’s orbit around the sun remains relatively stable. Yet, somehow, as each year passes, it feels like time is moving faster. The New Year's baby is already a middle-aged man; 2025 is already halfway done.
By Carl J. Petersen6 months ago in Journal
Born In East LA: American Citizens Caught in ICE’s Dragnet
“If and when we do encounter individuals subject to arrest, our law enforcement is trained to ask a series of well-determined questions to determine status and removability.” – Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin
By Carl J. Petersen6 months ago in The Swamp
The Budget That Cried Wolf: A School District's Endless Fiscal Cliff
“It’s clearly a budget. It’s got lots of numbers in it.” – George W. Bush The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is currently operating under a $11 billion ($11,000,000,000) general fund budget (per the second interim report). These funds not only cover teaching Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic, but also provide critical services at neighborhood schools like maintaining facilities, after-school care, and delivering special education supports.
By Carl J. Petersen7 months ago in The Swamp
Pride Under Siege: The LAPD’s Troubled History With the LGBTQ+ Community
“I’ve got nothing against fags; that’s not what this is about.” – Attributed to LAPD Officer Skip Giuliani While thought of as a deep blue city, Los Angeles has elements of far-right extremism that betray its liberal electorate. This is especially true within its police force as displayed by its historical treatment of the LGBTQ+ community. In 2023, a Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) spokesperson offered the following apology:
By Carl J. Petersen7 months ago in Pride
Deporting Children to Die Is Not Pro-Life
“Boy, these conservatives are really something, aren't they? They're all in favor of the unborn. They will do anything for the unborn. But once you're born, you're on your own. Pro-life conservatives are obsessed with the fetus from conception to nine months. After that, they don't want to know about you. They don't want to hear from you. No nothing. No neonatal care, no daycare, no Head Start, no school lunch, no food stamps, no welfare, no nothing.” – George Carlin
By Carl J. Petersen7 months ago in The Swamp
Public Funds, Private Loopholes: Neighborhood Council Questions Charter School's Plans
“The mission of CWC 4 is to provide a…learning environment that develops each individual student’s…individual responsibility as citizens of the world in which we live.” – Citizens of the World charter document
By Carl J. Petersen7 months ago in The Swamp
Do Charter School Students Deserve To Be Safe?
“Across Los Angeles Unified, we all want: Students who are safe…” – LAUSD’s Strategic Plan Even more important than providing students with a quality education, the LAUSD is responsible for ensuring the students attending schools within its borders are safe. This includes the public schools under the District and the charter schools it oversees. My concerns about the LAUSD's failures in this area were expressed during the public comment period of the School Safety and Climate Committee's meeting on May 22, 2025:
By Carl J. Petersen7 months ago in The Swamp
