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)
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Throw the Bums Out?
“Politics is stuck on repeat.” - Run For Something The members of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Board demonstrated their disregard for the voters who elected them when they unanimously voted to extend Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho’s contract without public input. The item was not listed on the agenda of the closed-door session in which the vote occurred, raising questions about whether they violated California’s Brown Act, the state’s open-meeting law.
By Carl J. Petersenabout a month ago in The Swamp
Echoes of Missing Men. Top Story - December 2025.
“Whatsoever I've feared has come to life And whatsoever I've fought off became my life Just when every day seemed to greet me with a smile Sunspots have faded, now I'm doing time” - Soundgarden, "Fell on Black Days"
By Carl J. Petersen2 months ago in Humans
When Power Targets the Vulnerable
“I exploit you, still you love me I tell you, one and one makes three.” - Living Colour My first inclination that a Trump presidency had the potential to descend into a cult of personality occurred a few months after he descended his golden escalator to announce his candidacy. I had criticized the mocking of Serge Kovaleski, a reporter with the New York Times, by imitating his physical disability. Even though the act was caught on tape for the whole world to see, I was attacked by a Facebook friend for spreading “fake news.” As we went back and forth, she insisted that there was nothing out of the ordinary about the candidate’s flailing arms and broken speech; these were things Trump did all the time and had nothing to do with the reporter’s congenital condition.
By Carl J. Petersen2 months ago in The Swamp
A Shutdown of Compassion: The Latest Assault on Obamacare
“This is a big fucking deal.” - Vice President Joe Biden on the passage of Obamacare The record-breaking shutdown of the federal government was not the first time that vital services have been paused as our elected representatives argued over the future of Obamacare. In September 2013, three and a half years after the groundbreaking law was passed with a party-line vote, Republicans held the government hostage for 16 days in an attempt to delay the implementation of the law, which was designed to give more people access to healthcare. This was despite Republicans having successfully added 188 amendments to the proposal as it progressed through Congress.
By Carl J. Petersen3 months ago in The Swamp
Am I A Patriot?
“There's a famine of compassion” – Midnight Oil When we moved into our new house, the small piece of hardware mounted next to the garage door caught my eye. It was similar to the one on my childhood porch, where our family hung the flag on holidays. That changed when Iranian militants took Americans hostage in 1979. Some families tied yellow ribbons around trees; our family flew the flag to show solidarity with those in harm’s way.
By Carl J. Petersen4 months ago in The Swamp
Another LAUSD Incumbent Gets An Opponent
As one of the government bodies that is closest to the people, local School Boards are often thought of as the most accessible for aspiring politicians. Get a few hundred dollars in donations so you can print up some yard signs, and you can see your name on the ballot. Network with enough parents and teachers, and you might even win.
By Carl J. Petersen4 months ago in The Swamp
Carvalho’s Quiet Renewal: LAUSD Extends Superintendent’s Contract Without Public Input
“We must hold the Superintendent accountable” – Karla Griego A Closed-Door Renewal Like all public agencies in California, the LAUSD School Board is bound by the Brown Act, which requires transparency and open meetings. While the law allows certain closed-door deliberations, it does not require them. It also mandates that agendas be published in advance, informing the public about upcoming meetings and their topics.
By Carl J. Petersen4 months ago in The Swamp
