SOUTH OF THE 10 - When I was a teacher at Verbum Dei High School, Rick Caruso was a big supporter of our students.
Verbum Dei switched to a model to ensure more students could attend by having them work one day a week to contribute to the cost of their education. Caruso’s dedication impressed me.
He has employed countless students at the Grove as part of the work-study program.
While on the LAPD Commission, he understood some of the challenges between the community and law enforcement and put up $5 million towards Operation Progress, which was led by LAPD officers.
His staff is diverse, and he is very approachable and down to earth. He sits on the board and is one of the school’s biggest employers of students.
Mr. Caruso took time to meet the Verbum Dei interns and even tutored them on his favorite poem—Invictus. All without media attention or spotlight. Mr. Caruso came across as an everyday man who worked his way up to power broker.
I don’t know much about Karen Bass, but a more conservative voice may be needed in City Hall, and I’d vote for him because I’ve seen him in action.
Oh, and he brought Lincoln Riley to USC.
(Jason Miller is a high school teacher, and football coach who has taught in Compton, Inglewood, and Watts schools)
(2UrbanGirls has been cited in CityWatchLA, Compton Herald, Daily Breeze, Daily News, Inglewood Today, Intersections South LA, KCRW, KPCC, Los Angeles Times, LA Weekly, LA Watts Times, Mercury News, Orange County Register and The Atlantic.)
