Change The LAUSD

"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.

"While the race may represent a proxy war between charters and traditional schools nationally, there are real issues at stake if the balance of power is tipped on the board. Sources tell Capital & Main that teachers’ gains from 2019 could be on the chopping block. Heilig said there would be more co-location of charter and traditional schools if the board majority is pro-charter. District 3 parent and blogger Carl Petersen said he doesn’t think that a larger percentage of charter schools would be approved if the board tilts toward charter forces because 'barely any are rejected' now.

'The bigger problem is that there will be even less oversight of schools that are already operating,' Petersen said."

Read the full article in Capital & Main.

"Just so has Marilyn Koziatek – or the independent expenditure committee (IEC) from which she proudly accepts endorsement of her West San Fernando Valley campaign for school board in the LAUSD3 board district – swerved from insinuation of responsibility for scandals that occurred before his tenure, to antisemitism to anti-LGBTQ and anti-choice bigotry."

Read the full article in the Los Angeles Education Examiner.

California: Palisades Charter High School, which double-dipped into the government trough to supplement the money they are diverting from public schools with funds from this PPP program, let go of essential staff. “Ignoring the reason for their $4,606,000 windfall, the governing board of Pali voted this month to lay off five members of their staff and reduce the hours for 18 other employees. Even as students throughout the country struggle to transition to distance learning, these cuts included an IT Tech assigned to helping parents, students and teachers navigate the technology needed in this new learning environment. They also eliminated a Tutoring Center Coordinator whom a member of the public and a board member credited with ‘helping hundreds of kids pass classes and graduate from Pali during e-learning.’ A Library Media Technician, Copy Clerk, and Office Assistant will also join the unemployment line in 60 days.”

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

Palisades Charter High School, in swanky Pacific Palisades, California, also took money from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). “Since the government funds its operations, Palisades Charter High School’s revenue has not been affected by Covid-19. The school is also supposed to operate as a non-profit, not a business. Still, the school’s Chief Business Officer, Greg Wood, applied for a $4.606 million dollar loan from the PPP. He did so without receiving prior approval from the school’s governing board.”

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

"Parent advocate Carl J. Petersen writes that the election for the Los Angeles Unified School District school board is already flooded with charter school lies."

Read the article on Diane Ravitch's Blog.

California: Carl Petersen has penned an interesting report on what’s become of El Camino Real High School after it was privatized under a law created to allow parents to privatize “underperforming” schools. He ties the history to upcoming school board elections. “As voters in LAUSD’s Board District 3 get set to choose between a life-long educator and a charter school employee, this lack of accountability should be at the forefront of the discussion. Incumbent Scott Schmerelson has a proven track record of supporting successful charter schools while holding these publicly funded private schools accountable when they break the rules. The challenger, Marilyn Koziatek, works for Granada Hills Charter, which is also a conversion charter that had an excellent record as an LAUSD school. Instead of looking out for stakeholders, her record shows that she is willing to keep violations hidden from parents. Koziatek’s elevation to the board would guarantee that betrayals of the public trust would continue unabated.”

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

Ravitch writes: "Carl J. Petersen is a parent in Los Angeles. He is supporting Scott Schmerelson for re-election to the LAUSD school board because of his experience with Scott’s opponent, who works for a charter school."