Would you like to know how many people have visited this page? Or how reputable the author is? Simply
sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too.
 SHARE 
|
Carl Petersen
|
Carl Petersen is a parent, an advocate for students with special education needs, an elected member of the Northridge East Neighborhood Council, a member of the LAUSD's CAC, and was a Green Party candidate in LAUSD's District 2 School Board race. During the campaign, the Network for Public Education (NPE) Action endorsed him, and Dr. Diane Ravitch called him a "strong supporter of public schools." For links to his blogs, please visit www.ChangeTheLAUSD.com. Opinions are his own.
Carl Petersen is a father of five, including two daughters who are on the autism spectrum. His involvement in education issues began when the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) refused to provide services that his daughters' teachers agreed they needed. It was then that his family was forced to sue the District.
At the end of two days of mediation at the District's headquarters, he turned to his wife, Nicole, and said: "somebody has to change this." His wife replied, "What about you?" He accepted the challenge and has run twice for a position on the LAUSD School Board. His platforms included advocacy for special education issues and strong support for public education. In his last election he was endorsed by Americans for Democratic Action Southern California, SFV/NELA Chapter of the National Organization for Women, and Network for Public Education (NPE) Action, a group co-founded by Dr. Diane Ravitch.
When Carl is not working or engaging in activism, he enjoys hanging out at theme parks with his family. He took his oldest daughter to Woodstock '94 when she was two and used to play in several local bands. If he is at his home in Northridge, California, there is a dog at his feet and he is probably writing one of his blogs which have been published in OpEdNews, Medium, Patch, and K-12 News Network.
OpEd News Member for 498 week(s) and 4 day(s)
859 Articles, 0 Quick Links, 109 Comments, 3 Diaries, 3 Series, 0 Polls
List By Popularity
Page 1 of 43 First Last Back Next 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 View All
Is The School Board Willing To Give Up $7,678,022?
The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Charter School Division forgave $7,678,022 in overallocation fees without getting authorization from the LAUSD School Board, including $28,111 for KIPP Corazon. Why didn't the Board ask about this before renewing Corazon's charter?
Crete Can't Run From Its Failures
Ranked as one of the worst schools in California, Crete Academy, a "low-performing" charter school, fights to renew its charter by using faulty data.
Steve Barr Asks LAUSD For A Chance To Fail Again
The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Board held a "Public Hearing" on approving a new charter school without providing access to the materials being considered.
One Less KIPP
KIPP Corazon's charter is renewed without the Charter School Division being asked to explain why they forgave $28,111 in the school's overallocation fees.
A Tale Of Two Presidents
As he prepared for his second inauguration, Trump's actions in the wake of Jimmy Carter's death provided a sharp contrast between the two leaders.
Getting Half The Job Done
The LAUSD School Board votes to deny Ivy Bound Academy's charter renewal but purposely excludes its questionable demographics as a reason.
Hopeless?
As 2025 begins, it is sometimes hard to tell if time is moving forward or backward.
Will Accountability Happen Behind Closed Doors?
The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) School Board held a closed session to evaluate Superintendent Carvalho, who is being criticized for how he handled the Los Angeles fire crisis.
Cautiously Optimistic
A look back at a year when the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) School Board failed to enact meaningful change. Will two new members follow through with their mandate?
Charter School Debt Increases to At Least $2,899,721
Twenty-one schools haven't paid the penalty for taking more space than they were entitled to, and another $7,678,022 owed to Los Angeles students has yet to be accounted for.
The Numbers Don't Add Up
When considering its charter renewal, will the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Board address Ivy Bound Academy's failure to educate its fair share of at-risk students?
Well-Intentioned but Flawed (and Perhaps Dangerous)
The presentation by the founder of Crete Academy during the hearing for its charter renewal draws questions about the safety of its program.
A Look At The 2024 Los Angeles Election Results
In 2024, Angelenos were inconsistent. In some cases, they shifted to the right, while in others they pushed back against Trumpism.
Are Charter Schools Singing "Kumbaya" with a Knife in Their Hands?
After a contentious election cycle created by their supporters is a Charter School lobbyist looking for a place to bury the hatchet?
The 2026 School Board Race Begins
Charter School Industry shill Nick Melvoin draws a challenger in the next Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) election. Isaiah Mateas introduces himself to the voters.
The Lady With Large Vocal Capacity Has Sung
Digging into the numbers as the Los Angeles County Clerk posts the 2024 LAUSD School Board run-off election's final results.
Woke And Definitely Not Broke
The money earned by Universal from Wicked, a cautionary tale about propaganda that also has DEI themes, is as green as Elphaba's skin.
LAUSD School Board Elects Its Leadership
The Los Angeles School Board unanimously votes for its most senior member, Scott Schmerelson, to be its President. Dr. Rocio Rivas is the new Vice President.
...And The Use Of Protest Votes
Third-party voters were blamed for indirectly helping Trump win his election in 2016. This year, some took a more active role.
