Change The LAUSD

C.P. in Los Angeles, CA, writes: With the recall election looking like it would happen, there seems to be more urgency in having Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) retire. While it may be unlikely, the recall of Gray Davis and the election of Trump have shown that Murphy's law also applies to politics. The damage of the GOP's recall being successful would be significantly compounded if Feinstein could not finish her term, and a Republican got to appoint her successor.

Read the full column at Electoral-Vote.com.

"Carl J. Petersen is a parent and special education advocate who keeps a close eye on the Los Angeles school system. Here he is taking pro-charter members of the LAUSD board for soliciting advice from Texas..."

"Petersen actually addressed the board and he includes his remarks in the complete piece, which can be viewed here."

The NPE Blogs of the Day feature what the NPE editors think are interesting and important blog posts centered on issues of public education.

"Kids Last

In California, a charter school chain apparently wants to build a school on a toxic land fill."

Read the full article on Curmudgucation.

"Now the rest of the news…

'Enabling Theft and Fraud' in Los Angeles. Carl Petersen documents how the Los Angeles Unified School District continues to take away building space from public school students to give to charter schools, with past-due bills totaling $1.9 million. Medium

'Charter Schools Invaded Our Neighborhoods Without Public Input.' A group of parents, teachers, and educators in East Los Angeles detail how their neighborhoods have become saturated with charter schools to the detriment of public schools. Age of Awareness" 

Read the complete report on the In The Public Interest website.

"Emiliana Dore wrote a powerful article at Medium about the importance of public schools and why charter schools do not promote racial or social justice. Her article was posted by Carl J. Petersen, a valiant fighter for public schools in Los Angeles.

Dore, a public school parent and advocate, wrote in response to an article at The 74 contending that charter schools were models for teaching kindness and anti-racism. Dore strongly disagreed."

Read the article on Diane Ravitch's Blog.

The article that initiated this conversation can be found on Medium.

"Parent advocate Carl J. Petersen writes here about a charter school in Los Angeles that figured out to game the system for more money and space.

He writes that “Citizens of the World” collects signatures of parents who are not likely to apply for the school and uses them as expressions of intent to enroll."

Read the article on Diane Ravitch's Blog.

"On the docket (tab 6) for discussion and for waivers of important public-interest oversight mechanisms, is the sale of LAUSD’s central administrative headquarters downtown. Known eponymously for its location at 333 S. Beaudry Ave, 'Beaudry' is a building with a history of construction defects and shady real estate deals. LAUSD purchased the building in 2001 under circumstances so fraught as to attract investigation by then-District Attorney Cooley. And in 2017 District staff found 'there would be no financial benefit to selling the…building at this time.'"

Read the full article in the Los Angeles Education Examiner.

"California: Carl Petersen asks “What Does Granada Charter High School Not Want You To Know?” in his look at an LAUSD school board race." 

Read the complete report on the In The Public Interest website.

DISTRICT 7

LEARN MORE*

• This Might End Up Being The Most Expensive LAUSD School Board Primary Ever (LAist)
• What Is A Charter School, Exactly? A Field Guide (LAist)
• LAUSD District 7's Open Seat (Medium/Carl Petersen)

DISTRICT 3

LEARN MORE*

• This Might End Up Being The Most Expensive LAUSD School Board Primary Ever (LAist)
• Those Nasty LAUSD School Board Campaign Ads: What's Fact? What's Opinion? (LAist)
• What Is A Charter School, Exactly? A Field Guide (LAist)
• LAUSD BD3 Candidate Marilyn Koziatek: Parents 'want a voice and a seat at the table' (Speak Up)
• LAUSD Candidate Profile: Scott Schmerelson (Patch/Carl Petersen)

Read the full article on LAist.