Change The LAUSD

Anyone who regularly attends LA Unified school board meetings will be familiar with Carl J. Petersen, who frequently addresses the board, and often is critical of what they are doing. Lately, he has been wearing one of his many “Carl Petersen for School Board” T-shirts.

Petersen, 49, ran against Tamar Galatzan as one of five candidates in the San Fernando Valley that forced her into a run-off, and then he threw his support for Scott Schmerelson who defeated her.

This time, he is running against Mónica García in District 2 in Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles. He is renting a room in the district and said his wife, Nicole, and three daughters will soon follow...

In order for children on the autism spectrum to reach their full potential, parents and teachers must work closely together to tailor an educational program that meets each child’s unique needs. For those with mild to severe disabilities, the law specifies that the procedures used be formalized in an Individualized Education Program (IEP). A well executed IEP meeting is a collaborative effort between parents and the team involved in the child’s education.

Faced with two daughters who had stalled in their progress, my wife and I prepared ourselves for a new round of IEPs. Both meetings started well, with the other participants either agreeing with our assessments or providing suggestions that built upon our ideas. However, in the end, they refused to write these into the IEPs. In each case, we were pulled aside by someone who risked their employment with the LAUSD to explain that the District that would not allow them to include what we all agreed was the best course of action.

Please list your top 4 priorities for the elective office you are seeking.

1. “Increase graduation
2. Increase 3rd grade reading
3. Reduce suspensions
4. Reduce drop-outs”

- Monica Garcia

There are many challenges facing the LAUSD. As an example, just last month the District warned state and county officials that it “may not be able to meet its financial obligations in upcoming years because it faces a cumulative deficit of $1.46 billion through the 2018-2019 school year.” It is also fighting a $1 billion lawsuit filed by Mark Geragos against the LAUSD on behalf of teachers who were victimized by the District’s Teacher Jail program. Parents of children with moderate to severe special education needs are also suing the District in an effort to keep special education centers open. Most concerning, incumbent Board member Monica Garcia states that “most of our kids, all of our kids can’t read.”

“Federal agents raided the offices of a network of Los Angeles charter schools Wednesday as part of an ongoing investigation into allegations of fraud and fiscal mismanagement.”

- Los Angeles Times, 1/25/17

Exempting charters “from many of the regulations that govern traditional schools” was supposed to be a way to remove barriers to innovation. Unfortunately, this also provided a way for unscrupulous operators to profit from education funds. As an example, the principal of El Camino Real Charter High School got caught charging “first-class airfare and luxury hotel rooms” and personal charges on his school credit card was “punished” with a $215k severance payout. Granada Hills Charter High School made unauthorized transfers from its Associated Student Body bank account. The latest example may be the Celerity Educational Group, which was raided today by federal agents.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, January 23, 2017
Contact: Carl Petersen
(818) 869-0309

The Stonewall Democratic Club voted tonight to provide “No Endorsement” in the LAUSD District 2 Board Race

A week after failing to secure the endorsement of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, incumbent Mónica García was rejected tonight by the Stonewall Democratic Club. Instead of supporting her re-election, the club, one of “the largest Democratic Clubs in California”, voted to provide “No Endorsement” in the race.

Los Angeles County Democratic Party voted tonight to provide “No Endorsement” in the LAUSD District 2 Board Race

Incumbents can usually expect the support of their party when they run for reelection. However, after ten years on the LAUSD Board, Mónica García was unable to inspire the confidence of her fellow Los Angeles County Democrats. Tonight the party delegates accepted on a consensus vote the Endorsement Committee’s recommendation of “No Endorsement”.

“We cannot truly have the impact charters were intended to have - to reinvent public education - if we do not close those charters that have demonstrated an inability to meet the challenge of excellence and chronically underperform.”

- California Charter School Association (CCSA)

According to the statistics provided by the CCSA, View Park Middle School (VPMS) appears to be accelerating towards failure. In 2015, the charter’s Similar Students Rank was a mediocre four out of ten. Last year, it dropped to a one out of ten. Included in a “Findings of Fact” dated January 10, 2017, the LAUSD Charter School Division (CSD) noted that, on the 2014-15 SBAC assessment, only 5% of VPMS’ students met or exceeded the performance standards in math. In 2015-2016, this dropped to 3%. In both years, 0% of students with disabilities met or exceeded these standards. These statistics are part of the reason that the CSD found that VPMS “has presented an unsound educational program” and recommended that the LAUSD Board deny its renewal petition. With a 4-3-0 vote, the Board ignored this recommendation and the charter will continue to operate.

"'Any time a kid can be mainstreamed, they should, but it’s just not feasible for all kids,' said Petersen, who pointed out that he is running for school board in part to bring special ed issues to the forefront.

Petersen is a supporter of the special education centers and would like to see general education students brought into the special education centers, to integrate the students, rather than forcing some of the students with more severe cases into general education classrooms that weren’t designed for those students’ needs.

Petersen also supports establishing magnet schools on the campuses of special education centers for students who are interested in careers in special ed."

Carl Petersen called “well qualified” and “committed to the ideals of NPE Action.”

Carl J. Petersen, a candidate for LAUSD District 2 has received one of the endorsements from Network for Public Education (NPE) Action. NPE Action is a national advocacy group that was co-founded by Diane Ravitch, a former Assistant Secretary of Education, and Anthony Cody “to fight to preserve, promote, improve and strengthen our public school system, an essential institution in a democratic society.”

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”

- George Santayana

It has been more than two years since LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy was forced to resign in disgrace. Unfortunately, the legacy that he has left for the District’s students echoes into the present day. After spending at least $189 million on the “disastrous” MiSiS computer system, there are still reports of problems with its functionality. His $1.3 billion failed iPad program wasted scarce education dollars as the District faces bankruptcy. The culture of bullying that Deasy propagated may end up costing the District $1 billion and the opportunity for outside lawyers to rack up plenty of billable hours.