u/ChangeTheLAUSD

Our increasingly digital lives make communication easier, but they can also strip away the small, physical interactions that remind us we're dealing with other human beings.

A thank-you to an Amazon driver led to an unexpected exchange. Years ago, I also witnessed two very different reactions from musicians receiving flowers from fans. Those moments stayed with me and made me think about what we're losing as more of our interactions move onto screens.

This essay looks at why those small “analog” moments may matter more than we realize.

Accountability in a democracy depends on citizens being able to evaluate what their government does and decide whether leaders have succeeded or failed. That seems straightforward when the evidence is relatively observable. But what happens when political identity affects whether people accept the evidence in the first place?

Trump's attempted repair project at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool struck me as an interesting case study. What began as a relatively mundane government-maintenance project became a dispute over the project's cost, effectiveness, responsibility for problems, and competing explanations for what had happened.

There are several ways to interpret this. One is that this is simply another example of a government project going badly. Another is that partisan polarization makes people interpret ambiguous evidence differently. A more troubling possibility is that political accountability becomes increasingly difficult when citizens are willing to reject independently observable evidence because it conflicts with their preferred political narrative.

I'm interested in the broader political question: What minimum level of shared agreement about evidence and reality does a democracy need in order for elections and other mechanisms of accountability to function effectively? And can that standard survive intense political polarization?

At a recent El Camino Real Charter High School board meeting, 12 members of the public signed up to speak following the sudden departure of Executive Director David Hussey.

The board's presiding officer repeatedly invoked the Brown Act to restrict what speakers could discuss. But there was an important distinction: the Brown Act wasn't actually being violated.

Because the meeting was designated as a special meeting, the board wasn't required to provide a general public-comment period. Instead, public comments were limited to items on the agenda—and speakers were interrupted when they appeared to stray beyond those boundaries.

I wrote about what happened and why there's a difference between following the letter of a transparency law and honoring its purpose of encouraging meaningful public participation.

I wrote a detailed analysis of the latest controversy at El Camino Real Charter High School after reports that Executive Director David Hussey is no longer with the school amid new allegations of financial improprieties.

The article also revisits an earlier financial scandal, a taxpayer-funded internal investigation that was never released to the public, and the role LAUSD played when it renewed the school's charter despite unresolved questions about transparency and accountability.

Rather than focusing only on the latest allegations, I look at a broader question:

What responsibility does LAUSD have to require full transparency from charter schools before renewing their charters?

I'd be interested in hearing from current and former LAUSD parents, employees, and students. Is the district providing enough oversight of charter schools operating with public funds?

I moved to Washington last year after spending decades in Southern California, and Wild Waves quickly became my new home park. It isn't the biggest or flashiest park, but that's exactly what made me appreciate it. Between Wild Thing, Timberhawk, and the atmosphere of a smaller regional park, it became a place where my daughters and I could make new memories.

Hearing that 2026 will be the park's final season really hit me. Parks like this are becoming harder to keep alive, and replacing nearly 50 years of coaster memories with a massive warehouse feels like the end of something that can't really be replaced.

For those of you who have visited Wild Waves, what are your favorite memories? Do you have a favorite small regional park from the past that still means a lot to you?

Throughout American history, presidents have generally observed the unwritten norms surrounding the office. While these traditions were never legally binding, they often reflected concerns about public perception, security, institutional legitimacy, or the symbolic role of the presidency.

Donald Trump has been notably more willing than his predecessors to disregard many of these conventions. One recent example was his decision to attend an NBA Finals game, becoming the first sitting president to do so. The visit required heightened security that affected fans attending the event, and his appearance drew boos from many in attendance. Images circulating afterward also showed him appearing to nod off during the game, prompting comparisons to his previous attacks on Joe Biden.

Supporters argue that breaking with tradition demonstrates authenticity and a willingness to challenge outdated expectations. Critics contend that many presidential norms exist because they help avoid unnecessary political distractions and preserve the dignity of the office.

This raises a broader political question:

Do presidential norms still provide meaningful political guardrails, or have they become largely irrelevant in an era of intense partisan polarization? More specifically, do events like this have any measurable effect on public opinion, or are they simply short-lived media moments that reinforce views people already hold?

Despite scandal, public frustration, and years of controversial decisions, every LAUSD incumbent running for reelection this year kept their seat. That outcome is surprising because the board unanimously extended Superintendent Alberto Carvalho's contract shortly before federal agents searched his home and district offices as part of the AllHere investigation. Yet the election produced almost no meaningful accountability.

I don't think the explanation is simply that voters approved of the board's performance. Instead, several structural factors worked together. Few credible challengers entered the races. Running for office has become increasingly hostile, discouraging qualified candidates. Organizations that might have recruited or backed stronger challengers made strategic decisions that left incumbents largely untested. Finally, many voters simply don't follow school board politics closely enough to evaluate years of board decisions before casting a ballot.

To me, this raises a broader political question that extends beyond Los Angeles. When incumbents face little organized opposition and voters have limited information, are elections really serving as an accountability mechanism, or are they simply reinforcing the status quo?

I expanded on these ideas here, including examples from this year's LAUSD election:

https://medium.com/educreation/why-lausd-incumbents-keep-winning-even-when-they-fail-b2eecde5c6a4?sk=f8cc1e194c30e16107f798d9737ad0f5

An essay reflecting on how America's 250th birthday became less a shared celebration than another symbol of our political divide.

Have we lost the ability to celebrate national milestones together, regardless of politics?

https://medium.com/@difrntdrmr/when-a-nations-birthday-feels-like-a-wake-2731868dba8a?sk=361cf81c3678453068f38011ddc20c25

Despite federal investigations, parents suing the district over arts funding, and years of criticism over board decisions, all three incumbents retained their seats in last month's election. This article examines why meaningful electoral accountability remains so elusive in LAUSD politics, including the roles of candidate recruitment, union strategy, and voter engagement.

I'd be interested in hearing whether others see the same structural factors at work or have different explanations.

I've noticed this about myself ever since I was a kid. Whether it's leaving family after a visit, finishing a vacation, or even wrapping up a work trip, I always get this wave of melancholy as I'm packing to go.

What's strange is that it happens even when I'm genuinely excited to get home. It made me realize the feeling isn't necessarily about not wanting to leave. I think it's more about recognizing that a moment in my life has come to an end and won't ever exist in quite the same way again.

Does anyone else experience this? Is there a place, trip, or even an ordinary moment that was surprisingly hard to leave behind?

As a conversation starter, I wrote this essay:

https://medium.com/age-of-awareness/the-footprints-we-leave-behind-and-what-we-keep-ff0676162a3a?sk=a965da7dcb073f38f9503840c12cf793

I've noticed this about myself ever since I was a kid. Whether it's leaving family after a visit, finishing a vacation, or even wrapping up a work trip, I always get this wave of melancholy as I'm packing to go.

What's strange is that it happens even when I'm genuinely excited to get home. It made me realize the feeling isn't necessarily about not wanting to leave. I think it's more about recognizing that a moment in my life has come to an end and won't ever exist in quite the same way again.

Does anyone else experience this? Is there a place, trip, or even an ordinary moment that was surprisingly hard to leave behind?

As a conversation starter, I wrote this essay:

https://medium.com/age-of-awareness/the-footprints-we-leave-behind-and-what-we-keep-ff0676162a3a?sk=a965da7dcb073f38f9503840c12cf793

I've noticed this about myself ever since I was a kid. Whether it's leaving family after a visit, finishing a vacation, or even wrapping up a work trip, I always get this wave of melancholy as I'm packing to go.

What's strange is that it happens even when I'm genuinely excited to get home. It made me realize the feeling isn't necessarily about not wanting to leave. I think it's more about recognizing that a moment in my life has come to an end and won't ever exist in quite the same way again.

Does anyone else experience this? Is there a place, trip, or even an ordinary moment that was surprisingly hard to leave behind?