“If you look at the Dixwell Q-House,” Kermit Carolina points out, “this is what saved my life.”
Born and raised in New Haven, Carolina knows his path could have been much different.
“When my mother was at work and trying to put a roof over my head and trying to clothe me and feed me it was the community that stepped in,” Carolina said.
Today Carolina is the principal of the city’s James Hillhouse High School and a candidate for Mayor. Carolina is a newcomer to politics and he’s brought a tough talking style to the race, quick to call out opponents.
“We have a bunch of career politicians who have learned the art of saying what needs to be said in a particular moment, it doesn’t come from the heart.”
By many measures, Carolina is an Elm City success story. He attended college, fell in love and married in New Haven. He believes he knows the city in a way other candidates do not.
“As the principal of Hillhouse High School, I see every day the challenges that kids bring to the building. But what probably makes me sad is when they have to leave and go home. In many instances they are going back home to neighborhoods where there is a high number of unemployment.”
Carolina is now campaigning to create jobs and increase the city’s fiscal responsibility. He says “that can include anything from regionalization where we pool our resources with our neighboring cities to provide better services to residents.”
He’s also committed to lowering New Haven’s public debt and the tax burden for residents.
But in the last year Carolina confronted controversy. The principal was disciplined by former school superintendent Reginald Mayo after an investigation into grade tampering.
In the last year two former staffers at Hillhouse filed civil suits against Carolina. At the heart of each case – questions over his skills as a manager.
Carolina’s response: “show me a leader that does not have a disgruntled people under them.”
The career educator says his style is based on doing the right thing for the people he serves, and he’s comfortable making tough decisions. Which is exactly why Carolina says he should be New Haven’s next mayor.