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 (313)
Filter by community
The World Loses a Different Drummer: Remembering Rob Hirst
My life has been absolutely better than anything anyone could ever ask for, and so, if my life is attenuated by this tiny little tumour that threatens to do me in, then I will still consider myself incredibly fortunate. – Rob Hirst
By Carl J. Petersenabout 6 hours ago in Beat
The 2026 LAUSD Election Is Shockingly Uncontested — and That Should Worry Parents
“The foundation of every state is the education of its youth.” — Diogenes The 2026 Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) board elections are shaping up to be one of the most consequential — and least competitive — school board races in recent memory. With labor unrest rising, enrollment falling, and school closures looming, voters might expect a crowded field of challengers. Instead, they are getting the opposite: quiet races, thin opposition, and decisions that could reshape public education in Los Angeles for years to come.
By Carl J. Petersen3 days ago in The Swamp
More Shades of Gray: What Are We Really Doing in Venezuela?
“We will, in fact, be greeted as liberators” – Dick Cheney We cannot even agree on what to call the military’s forced extraction of Nicolás Maduro, the man acting as Venezuela’s leader. Was it an act of war—or a law-enforcement action carried out abroad?
By Carl J. Petersen15 days ago in The Swamp
The Beauty of Gray: When Tragedy Becomes a Talking Point
“This is not a black and white world To be alive I say the colours must swirl” – Live, “The Beauty of Gray” Within an America divided between blue and red, there is no gray. Everything is black and white, as perceived realities are colored by how we need the world to look. Lost is the ability to see nuance, especially when it makes us question the correctness of “our side.”
By Carl J. Petersen20 days ago in The Swamp
Misplaced Optimism: A Year of Accountability Promised — and Withheld at LAUSD
“We must hold the Superintendent accountable” – Karla Griego (2024) Ten years ago, I ran for a seat on the LAUSD Board of Education to change the district I believed was failing its students, especially those with Special Education needs. My opponent was Tamar Galatzan, an entrenched incumbent who was backed by the charter school industry. I achieved the lowest cost per vote, just 69 cents, in the entire city during that election cycle. While it wasn’t enough to win the seat, our campaign helped knock Galatzan out of office. This helped to clear a pathway for change and raised expectations that accountability might finally follow.
By Carl J. Petersen23 days ago in Education
Trump’s Response to Tragedy Shows How Moral Decay Spreads in American Politics
“this kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy. Michelle and I will be praying for Charlie’s family tonight, especially his wife Erika and their two young children.” - Barack Obama
By Carl J. Petersen25 days ago in The Swamp
On the Record: Dr. Rocío Rivas on Promises, Progress, and What’s Next
“Our kids deserve a school system funded with dignity, not leftovers.” - Dr. Rocío Rivas In 2026, the three Los Angeles Unified School District Board Members from the even-numbered board districts will ask the voters to re-elect them. Nick Melvoin, Kelly Gonez, and Dr. Rocío Rivas were each sent four questions that would allow them to let voters know how they felt about their work so far.
By Carl J. Petersenabout a month ago in Education
If This Is the Future, We’re F**ked: When AI Decides Reality Is Wrong
“ChatGPT can make mistakes. Check important info.” - Warning below ChatGPT’s prompt This was the first time I knowingly entered an exchange with a machine—and realized it could not tell fact from fiction.
By Carl J. Petersenabout a month ago in Futurism
He Couldn't Hold His Tongue
“An illegal immigrant is a criminal.” - Gene Simmons No band in the history of rock and roll has mastered branding better than KISS. For more than five decades, the group has parlayed a catalog of largely mediocre songs into the upper reaches of superstardom through trademarked makeup, a legendary live show, and an army of talented merchandise strategists. The band has not released an album since 2012, which failed to go gold, yet loyal members of the KISS Army continue to empty their wallets on thousands of licensed products, including, infamously, a KISS-branded casket.
By Carl J. Petersenabout a month ago in The Swamp
