Carl J. Petersen
Bio
Carl Petersen is a former Green Party candidate for the LAUSD School Board and a longtime advocate for public education and special needs families. Now based in Washington State, he writes about politics, culture, and their intersections.
Stories (315)
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They Really Don't Want Parental Input
“They made it easy, cheaters have their way… You’re livin’ on your knees.” – Jane’s Addiction The LAUSD’s Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) Local Plan is a state-mandated document that specifies how the District assures “that it has in effect policies, procedures, and programs governing access to special education and services”. It ensures “a continuum of program options are available to meet the needs of students with disabilities for special education and related services.” The plan, which “is the central document by which…special education programs exist and function,” is reviewed and updated every three years.
By Carl J. Petersen2 years ago in The Swamp
What Do Trump And Charter Schools Have In Common?
“For five years [NVMI doesn’t] even have audit findings” – LACOE Board Member Yvonne Chan With Trump’s Truth Social barely staying afloat in a sea of red ink, the former President needed to quickly take the company public if he wanted to have any chance at pulling cash out of the rapidly failing endeavor. After doing so, the social platform’s parent company, Trump Media, specified that its audits would be conducted by BF Borgers, a “small” firm that served mostly “small companies [that] traded over-the-counter.” This seemed an odd fit for Trump’s company which the market had valued at $11 billion on its first day of trading under the stock symbol DJT.
By Carl J. Petersen2 years ago in The Swamp
Charter School Division Finally Provides An Update
“Thank you for your question. The website has been updated with more recent information that includes the 2022-23 school year. Additional updates will be posted periodically.” – LAUSD Charter School Division
By Carl J. Petersen2 years ago in The Swamp
Killing Puppies and Kicking Babies
“All life is precious.” – Governor Kristi Noem “I hated that dog.” – Governor Kristi Noem Next to holding a baby at a campaign rally, nothing does more to humanize a political candidate than a video of them frolicking with the family dog. The love of man’s best friend is bipartisan with dog owners “just as likely to come from either side of the political spectrum.” A Pew Research Center survey found that 97% of pet owners consider their pets part of their family.
By Carl J. Petersen2 years ago in The Swamp
Our Kids Can’t Wait
“The placement continues to be an IEP decision and it is based on the individual student’s needs. There is definitely still a need for special day programs or other classes that are more restrictive for our students.” – LAUSD Department of Special Education
By Carl J. Petersen2 years ago in Education
Celebrating Second Chances
“I’m Broken” – Pantera Days before my 39th birthday we walked into the Back to School night as a family with the truth buried in a shallow grave. This was the first time we were trying to do something together since my wife had moved out of the house a few weeks before that night. The wounds created by our rapidly deteriorating relationship were still raw and open, but we had agreed to try and put the anger and pain aside to provide a sense of normalcy for my daughter.
By Carl J. Petersen2 years ago in Families
Well-Intentioned Whistleblower or Opportunist?
“I want to believe that you're telling the truth But something tells me don't trust you” – Agnostic Front When a family enrolls a child in a school, the district immediately starts incurring expenses. Space must be reserved for each student and teachers assigned to those classrooms. The district must ensure that textbooks and other supplies are available. These costs are constant and do not change when a child misses a day of school.
By Carl J. Petersen2 years ago in The Swamp
Another One Bites The Dust
“You took me for everything that I had And kicked me out on my own” – Queen As Los Angeles students prepared to return to school at the end of the Summer break, families at the North Valley Military Institute (NVMI) were in for a rude awakening. The charter school’s administration had rejected the LAUSD’s offer of space under PROP-39 the previous April but continued to tell parents that a new campus would be ready in time to start classes. Ignoring the NMVI’s impending collapse, the Los Angeles County Office of Education’s (LACOE) regulators did nothing to ensure parents were warned to make alternative arrangements. They even allowed the school to hold its orientation session for new students. When Mark Ryan announced the school would close one week into the school year, families were left scrambling, their children behind their peers in their new schools.
By Carl J. Petersen2 years ago in The Swamp
