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Politico
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Reading the tea leaves on Florida's next LG
Good morning and welcome to Wednesday. Gov. RON DESANTIS has been able to shuffle personnel around the top levels of state government this year. One opening that still remains, though, is the No. 2 job in Tallahassee: lieutenant governor. The most likely contender is Republican state Sen. JAY COLLINS of Hillsborough County, according to a dozen people close to the deliberations. The decision isn't final, the people cautioned, and others considered for the role include former House Speaker JOSE OLIVA and New College of Florida President RICHARD CORCORAN. The selection is being closely watched because it could signal the governor may get behind that person to run for governor in 2026. He so far has snubbed President DONALD TRUMP's selection of Rep. BYRON DONALDS for the job, and Florida first lady CASEY DESANTIS is still deciding whether she'll run. (One of the more far-fetched rumors swirling around Tallahassee is that the governor might appoint his wife to be lieutenant governor.) DeSantis has been without a No. 2 since February, after JEANETTE NUÑEZ accepted the top job at Florida International University. But Collins has been a key surrogate for DeSantis in the state Senate, including his defense of Hope Florida as the program faced scrutiny from his GOP colleagues. Collins traveled to the Middle East last week to help the governor's office organize rescue flights for Americans to flee Israel. He had a difficult upbringing, born to a mother who was addicted to drugs and raised by his grandparents. He lost his father at a young age and lived out of his car for a time when he was in high school. He's also a former Green Beret and decorated combat veteran who served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan during his 23 years in the military. Collins had part of his leg amputated during his military service but spent five more years with the Green Berets after that. 'He's well respected by the entire Legislature because of his military service,' said one Republican lobbyist, granted anonymity to discuss private conversations regarding the role. 'Even though he is relatively new to public office, he's a tenacious advocate who is also likable and principled. It's hard to attack a guy like him who has sacrificed so much purely because of his beliefs in democracy.' But there's other important factors. Collins has been a reliable ally and staunch defender of DeSantis after the governor backed him in his bid for the state Senate. Collins is also willing to step into the job if given the slot. It's not clear if some of the other names recently mentioned are as eager to take the post of lieutenant governor, which does not really have any defined duties. 'There's no shortage of famous people who the governor wants, but there appears to be only one person who wants it — and that's Jay,' said one veteran Florida Republican operative, granted anonymity to speak candidly. DeSantis initially suggested he would make some of his key outstanding appointments — which includes both LG and chief financial officer — after this year's legislative session was over. This week, the governor said he was focusing on going through the budget that lawmakers finally passed last week. There's also a possibility he could leave the 2nd spot open for a while — something former Gov. RICK SCOTT did. Last Friday, DeSantis raved about Collins during an early morning press conference he held in Tampa to welcome people back from Israel. DeSantis said he had done a 'great job' and had a 'tremendous record.' And noting his recent work abroad, DeSantis said Collins is 'almost like an action figure in terms of him springing into action, running into the fire and helping people in their time of need.' When asked about the possibility of becoming LG, Collins said it was an honor just for his name to be included on any potential list. But he also said, 'If the governor asks me to do that, you serve your state. How do you say no to that?' Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget that Playbook should look at? Get in touch at: kleonard@ ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... ICE IN THE EVERGLADES — 'Florida's headline-grabbing push to create 'Alligator Alcatraz' — an immigration detention center deep in the Everglades — happened swiftly, with little apparent notice to state legislators responsible for paying for it or to local officials who will have it on their doorstep,' reports POLITICO's Gary Fineout and Bruce Ritchie. 'It also may prove to be one of Gov. Ron DeSantis' most aggressive moves during his six-plus years in office. Citing the governor's emergency powers, the state's emergency management director told Miami-Dade County that it was taking control of an Everglades airstrip now owned by Miami-Dade County and located mainly in Collier County in order to begin building the multimillion dollar facility.' REPEALED — 'DeSantis on Tuesday signed a bill that would repeal a 2018 law governing how local governments establish public use of beaches,' reports POLITICO's Bruce Ritchie. 'DeSantis signed the bill in Walton County repealing the law that critics said emboldened property owners to put up no-trespassing signs and order visitors off beaches. The 2018 law repealed a Walton County ordinance establishing public access based across much of its coastline. The new state law required local governments to seek review by courts before establishing access based on the judicial doctrine of 'customary use.'' — 'New flood disclosures in rental agreements are coming to Florida,' reports Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics. — 'DeSantis signs measure shielding some court documents from public records requests,' by Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics. NEW LAW PROPOSED — 'Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is proposing a new law named in honor of a Tallahassee girl whose stepfather allegedly murdered her while he was out on bond after his conviction of a child sex crime,' reports Jeff Burlew of the Tallahassee Democrat. 'Uthmeier announced the proposed 'Missy's Law,' named after Melissa 'Missy' Mogle, in a June 24 post on X, saying the legislation is designed to 'prevent judges from abusing their discretion.'' SOME ANSWERS EMERGE IN SURFSIDE COLLAPSE — Investigators are 'focusing on three 'higher-likelihood' hypotheses out of its initial 12, each arising from construction flaws that doomed the building,' reports Linda Robertson of the Miami Herald. 'The collapse could have been triggered by failure of a slab-column connection in the pool deck, where the structural design did not meet building code standards. Steel reinforcement was missing or misplaced and eaten away by corrosion. Heavy planters and pavers added years later to the poorly-draining deck increased the load on a support system 'that was already functionally and structurally inadequate,' the report says.' SEVENTH EXECUTION IN FLORIDA — 'A man convicted of raping and killing a woman near a central Florida bar was executed Tuesday evening,' The Associated Press reported. 'Thomas Lee Gudinas, 51, was pronounced dead at 6:13 p.m. after receiving a lethal injection at Florida State Prison near Starke, said Bryan Griffin, a spokesman for DeSantis.' PENINSULA AND BEYOND TAKING IT BACK — 'Miami businessman and philanthropist Miguel 'Mike' Fernandez has suspended a $1 million donation to Florida International University in protest of Florida's decision to strip in-state tuition benefits from undocumented students — a policy that was until recently endorsed by FIU's new president, Jeanette Nuñez,' reports Garrett Shanley of the Miami Herald. DEPORTATION FEARS — 'This year's immigration actions have hit Haitians living in Florida as hard as a hurricane striking the Caribbean nation they call home, leaving thousands of people afraid of arrest, deportation and separation from their families,' reports Valentina Palm of the Palm Beach Post. 'Many are on the verge of losing legal status to live and work in the United States following two Supreme Court rulings and a policy change by President Donald Trump that has blocked travel to and from Haiti.' OVERRIDE FAILS — 'Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan vetoed legislation that would have required some city-funded nonprofit organizations to determine the immigration status of people using their programs and deny service to anyone in the U.S. illegally,' reports David Bauerlein of the Jacksonville Florida Times-Union. 'Hours after Deegan delivered her veto message to City Council on June 24, council failed to overturn the veto. Council voted 8-7 to override the veto, falling short of the two-thirds support needed by council to reverse Deegan striking down the bill.' — ''Stinks up the house': Apalachicola in crisis with city water unfit to drink, bathe in,' reports James Call of the Tallahassee Democrat. — 'Florida men accused of stealing more than $100 million meant for people with special needs,' reports Mark Walker of The New York Times. — 'More people are riding Brightline — but not enough to quiet concerns about its finances,' by WLRN's Tom Hudson. — 'Immigration advocates protest ICE agreements outside sheriffs' convention in Broward,' by Shira Moolten of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. CAMPAIGN MODE SPECIAL ELECTION WINS — Former state Rep. LAVON BRACY DAVIS won the Democratic special election state Senate primary Tuesday night in a four-way contest. One of the candidates was her brother, former state Sen. RANDOLPH BRACY. Because the area she's seeking to represent is heavily Democratic, Bracy Davis is likely to be sworn into the office, which was previously held by the late state Sen. GERALDINE THOMPSON, later this year. In a statement, Senate Democratic Leader LORI BERMAN praised Bracy Davis for her 'wealth of legislative experience and a long history of fighting for the rights of Floridians' and said she looked forward 'to having her join us in the fight for a more affordable Florida.' RASHON YOUNG also won the primary over in state House District 40 — the seat Bracy Davis resigned from to run for state Senate. He'd competed against former state Rep. TRAVARIS MCCURDY. Young is Bracy Davis' former top aide whom she endorsed as her successor. On Sept. 2, Bracy Davis will face off against Republican WILLIE MONTAGUE, founder of a faith-based rehab facility, while Young will face off against GOP TUAN LE, an aerospace engineer. ...HURRICANE HOLE... FIRST STORM OF THE SEASON — The National Hurricane Center announced Tuesday that Tropical Storm Andrea had formed, though it's not a threat to land and should dissipate by later today. — 'Can Florida handle hurricane recovery without federal support?' by Bea Lunardini of the Tampa Bay Times. TRANSITION TIME — Public affairs and lobbying firm Ballard Partners is pairing up with Global Nexus to expand into Mexico City. Their services will include public policy advocacy, regulatory affairs analysis and international market consulting. — TARA POULTON has been promoted to chief of staff for Rep. Vern Buchanan's (R-Fla.) district offices. She was previously Buchanan's district director. ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN — Former Rep. MATT GAETZ and GINGER GAETZ are expecting their first child early next year, the couple announced over X. — 'Laura Loomer airs old texts with Tucker Carlson after he brands her 'world's creepiest human,'' by Isabel Keane of the Independent. BIRTHDAYS: Florida Supreme Court Justice Carlos Muñiz … state Sen. Bryan Avila … South Miami mayor and former state Rep. Javier Fernández.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Maxwell: Politics at Florida universities is really about the grift
You probably know that Florida's GOP politicians have taken a wrecking ball to the state's university system. And the narrative is that they're on a noble crusade to exorcise evil, 'woke' ideology from college campuses. But if you believe that's the only goal here, you've been duped. This isn't about politicians going after liberal doctrines nearly as much as it's about them going after tax dollars. They've turned the university system into a political spoils system where politicians with no higher-ed experience can score lucrative higher-ed jobs for themselves. It's been going on for a while now, but the grift was fully exposed this past week. That's when it was revealed that one of the political has-beens fuming about diversity — as a supposed reason to deny the University of Florida presidency to a qualified applicant — had secretly made a play to try to get the $3 million-a-year job for himself. See, you have to separate the theater from the grift. The theater was a bunch of privileged guys griping about the concept of diversity and inclusion. The grift was one of those same guys making a secretive play for the very job he was griping about. More about that in a moment, but first, let's remember where this all started — at New College of Florida with Richard Corcoran. Two years ago, the former House Speaker craved a fat, higher-ed paycheck. The problem was that Corcoran had as much higher-ed experience as my dead cat, Furball. So to distract from his lack of qualifications, Corcoran fumed — about DEI, CRT and other scary-sounding acronyms. It was red meat for the trolls. And Corcoran laughed all the way to the bank. He got a $1 million deal to run a tiny college with 698 students. Elementary school principals oversee more pupils. $1.5 million to lead a college with 698 students? | Commentary Then Corcoran and Co. invited other political has-beens to feed at the New College trough. They gave a former Senate president a $500-an-hour legal contract, the governor's former spokesman a $15,000-a-month PR contract and the wife of the former Republican Party of Florida chairman $175,000 to run the school's foundation. With the chow bell rung, the politicians came running. Former U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska scored a $10 million deal for a short-lived and disastrous tenure at UF where the student newspaper discovered he'd quickly blown through $17 million in public money, including $38,000 he spent on a sushi bar. Lieutenant Gov. Jeanette Nunez snagged the top spot at Florida International University. A cable-company lobbyist friendly with the administration is in line to lead FAMU. At one college, they had to actually remove the requirement that the president have an advanced degree so that they could give the job to Fred Hawkins, a GOP legislator who lacked one. But then this past week, the scheme was fully exposed in cringe-worthy fashion. Wanna get rich, fleece taxpayers? Run a Florida university. | Commentary The scene was the Board of Governors meeting in Orlando where appointees of Gov. Ron DeSantis were once again fuming about the alleged evils of diversity and inclusion. Their reason this time was to try to deny the UF presidency to former University of Michigan President Santa J. Ono. Somehow, a qualified candidate had actually advanced through the secretive application process — and that would not be tolerated. So the political appointees accused Ono of all kinds of terrible things like embracing equality and believing in science. Former House Speaker Paul Renner led the anti-woke war. But then one board member who'd apparently heard enough posturing went off-script. Eric Silagy, the former CEO of Florida Power and Light, asked if any of his fellow board members — the ones savaging Ono for being too woke — had applied for the very job Ono was seeking. Yes, responded board chairman Mori Hosseini. 'Paul Renner.' It turned out the very guy claiming Florida needed an anti-woke warrior in this $3 million-a-year position had been salivating over the post. Renner became visibly enraged when exposed. He indignantly responded that he'd only inquired about the job because other people suggested he do so and that he'd since decided not to accept the high-paying job even if it was offered to him. Sure, Mr. Speaker. Your nobility is noted. Most of the time, qualified candidates like Ono don't even get a shot. But occasionally, well-intentioned leaders at individual schools try to give them one — as trustees at Florida Atlantic University did two years ago when they nominated Vice Admiral Sean Buck, the superintendent of the United States Naval Academy, to be FAU's president. But Buck didn't stand a chance in this environment. DeSantis allies savaged the respected admiral's reputation so that yet another GOP legislator, Randy Fine, could have a shot at the job. DeSantis would later admit in a moment of surprising candor that he only supported Fine because other GOP legislators disliked Fine and wanted him gone. 'They wanted to get him out of the Legislature,' DeSantis said. 'So they asked me to put him up for Florida Atlantic president, and I did.' That's how these folks treat these positions. DeSantis says he tried to install Randy Fine at FAU because state lawmakers wanted to get rid of him Fine and DeSantis later had a falling out, and Fine didn't get the gig. But the rules of the game were clear: Qualified applicants need not apply. An irony is that former politicians actually can become impressive university leaders. Florida State University President John Thrasher, a former GOP house speaker, was one of them. I respected him. So did many others. But Thrasher, who sadly passed away last week, was a different kind of man than the Florida politicians of today. He was a statesman — not someone willing to savage others' reputation simply to enrich himself. smaxwell@ John Thrasher left partisan politics behind to create a lasting legacy at FSU | Commentary
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Opinion - DeSantis's reign of terror on education is Trump's model
If Americans want a glimpse of Trump-style education policy in action, they should look to Florida. Over the last six years, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has turned the state into a laboratory for a hard-right agenda, disguised as 'parental rights' but aimed at systematically dismantling public education. Under the banner of culture wars, Florida has censored classroom discussions, politicized school boards and driven teachers out of the profession, undermining not just what students learn but whether they learn at all. It's a blueprint for control, not for education. Start with book-banning. Florida leads the country in book-banning, with 4,561 books banned in schools in 33 of the state's 67 school districts. Banned books, including award-winning authors like Maya Angelou, Saul Bellow and Toni Morrison, classics from Proust to Ovid, bestselling authors like Patricia Cornwell and James Patterson, and left-leaning social commentators like Jon Stewart. This wave of book-bans aligns with broader efforts in Florida to reshape school curricula. The state's new educational standards include language suggesting that enslaved people may have developed skills that 'could be applied for their personal benefit.' The state also placed limits on African American studies programs, claiming an Advanced Placement African American Studies course lacked educational value and violated state law. Gay and transgender students and educators have come under increased scrutiny. Legislation and administrative rules have imposed restrictions on which bathrooms transgender students may use and have limited how gender identity and sexual orientation can be discussed in classrooms. Under laws signed by DeSantis, teachers face legal risks for using the preferred pronouns of transgender students without explicit parental consent. One notable case occurred in Brevard County, where a beloved veteran teacher's contract was not renewed because she referred to a student by a name chosen several years prior to the adoption of the rule. Meanwhile, new laws require parental consent for basic services like nurses' visits, accessing library books and watching PG films like 'Frosty the Snowman.' Because of these rules, tens of thousands of Florida students lose out because their parents have not filled out consent forms. School nurses risk losing their jobs for something as simple as putting a bandage on a scraped knee without prior parental consent. The burden falls heavily on parents, who must navigate a maze of new forms, and on school staff, who are overwhelmed by the surge in paperwork. Many frontline educators and support workers live in fear of backlash from activist groups like Moms for Liberty, whose influence has turned everyday decisions into political flashpoints. DeSantis has also gone to war with higher education, including the takeover of the New College of Florida. High-ranking administrators were fired and diversity programs eliminated. Scores of faculty have quit. DeSantis's hostility toward public education knows no limits. His state ranks dead last in teacher pay, Florida just posted the worst national test scores in more than 20 years and Florida has a universal school voucher program that disproportionately benefits higher-income students. None of this has escaped the attention of Trump, whose executive orders explicitly encourage states to turn federal block grants into voucher programs. His latest proposed budget also slashes $4.5 billion in support for low-income students, undermining programs that help with high school completion, college access and work-study opportunities. He proposes cutting teacher quality initiatives, funding for Howard University, the Office for Civil Rights and bilingual student programs. His proposed budget explicitly prohibits funding for progressive nonprofits and DEI programs. Will Republicans in Congress realize that Trump's assault on education hurts the very institutions their communities rely on? Schools and universities aren't just economic drivers in their districts, they're centers of local pride, identity and opportunity. In places like Brevard County, where we recently held a town hall, hope is being replaced by fear. Parents, educators, students and community leaders all expressed shame and fury at the actions of their local school board and state policymakers. Trump and DeSantis have taken the bullying approach to governing to new extremes. There is no honest debate, no give and take, no compromise. It is a relentless drive to push, divide and control. Cruelty is the point, and the negative consequences of children, families and educators aren't a side effect — it's a strategy. Forty-two years ago, Republican President Ronald Reagan sounded the alarm on the state of American education by releasing 'A Nation at Risk.' Today, that title applies to much more than our schools: our economy, our democracy, our environment, our global standing and our moral compass. But no one is more vulnerable than 50 million American school children living under an immoral, unethical and criminal president. They cannot vote. They have no lobby. They are counting on us to fight back. Jennifer Jenkins is a former Brevard County School Board member and chairwoman of Educated We Stand, a nonprofit committed to resisting right-wing extremism in Florida schools. Arne Duncan is a former U. S. Secretary of Education. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
29-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
DeSantis's reign of terror on education is Trump's model
If Americans want a glimpse of Trump-style education policy in action, they should look to Florida. Over the last six years, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has turned the state into a laboratory for a hard-right agenda, disguised as 'parental rights' but aimed at systematically dismantling public education. Under the banner of culture wars, Florida has censored classroom discussions, politicized school boards and driven teachers out of the profession, undermining not just what students learn but whether they learn at all. It's a blueprint for control, not for education. Start with book-banning. Florida leads the country in book-banning, with 4,561 books banned in schools in 33 of the state's 67 school districts. Banned books, including award-winning authors like Maya Angelou, Saul Bellow and Toni Morrison, classics from Proust to Ovid, bestselling authors like Patricia Cornwell and James Patterson, and left-leaning social commentators like Jon Stewart. This wave of book-bans aligns with broader efforts in Florida to reshape school curricula. The state's new educational standards include language suggesting that enslaved people may have developed skills that 'could be applied for their personal benefit.' The state also placed limits on African American studies programs, claiming an Advanced Placement African American Studies course lacked educational value and violated state law. Gay and transgender students and educators have come under increased scrutiny. Legislation and administrative rules have imposed restrictions on which bathrooms transgender students may use and have limited how gender identity and sexual orientation can be discussed in classrooms. Under laws signed by DeSantis, teachers face legal risks for using the preferred pronouns of transgender students without explicit parental consent. One notable case occurred in Brevard County, where a beloved veteran teacher's contract was not renewed because she referred to a student by a name chosen several years prior to the adoption of the rule. Meanwhile, new laws require parental consent for basic services like nurses' visits, accessing library books and watching PG films like 'Frosty the Snowman.' Because of these rules, tens of thousands of Florida students lose out because their parents have not filled out consent forms. School nurses risk losing their jobs for something as simple as putting a bandage on a scraped knee without prior parental consent. The burden falls heavily on parents, who must navigate a maze of new forms, and on school staff, who are overwhelmed by the surge in paperwork. Many frontline educators and support workers live in fear of backlash from activist groups like Moms for Liberty, whose influence has turned everyday decisions into political flashpoints. DeSantis has also gone to war with higher education, including the takeover of the New College of Florida. High-ranking administrators were fired and diversity programs eliminated. Scores of faculty have quit. DeSantis's hostility toward public education knows no limits. His state ranks dead last in teacher pay, Florida just posted the worst national test scores in more than 20 years and Florida has a universal school voucher program that disproportionately benefits higher-income students. None of this has escaped the attention of Trump, whose executive orders explicitly encourage states to turn federal block grants into voucher programs. His latest proposed budget also slashes $4.5 billion in support for low-income students, undermining programs that help with high school completion, college access and work-study opportunities. He proposes cutting teacher quality initiatives, funding for Howard University, the Office for Civil Rights and bilingual student programs. His proposed budget explicitly prohibits funding for progressive nonprofits and DEI programs. Will Republicans in Congress realize that Trump's assault on education hurts the very institutions their communities rely on? Schools and universities aren't just economic drivers in their districts, they're centers of local pride, identity and opportunity. In places like Brevard County, where we recently held a town hall, hope is being replaced by fear. Parents, educators, students and community leaders all expressed shame and fury at the actions of their local school board and state policymakers. Trump and DeSantis have taken the bullying approach to governing to new extremes. There is no honest debate, no give and take, no compromise. It is a relentless drive to push, divide and control. Cruelty is the point, and the negative consequences of children, families and educators aren't a side effect — it's a strategy. Forty-two years ago, Republican President Ronald Reagan sounded the alarm on the state of American education by releasing 'A Nation at Risk.' Today, that title applies to much more than our schools: our economy, our democracy, our environment, our global standing and our moral compass. But no one is more vulnerable than 50 million American school children living under an immoral, unethical and criminal president. They cannot vote. They have no lobby. They are counting on us to fight back. Jennifer Jenkins is a former Brevard County School Board member and chairwoman of Educated We Stand, a nonprofit committed to resisting right-wing extremism in Florida schools. Arne Duncan is a former U. S. Secretary of Education.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
A Beloved College Professor Died. Then She Stunned Her Former Students by Leaving Them Most of Her $2.8 Million Estate
Over 30 people received the surprise of a lifetime when they learned that their former college professor had left them the majority of her life savings Professor Cris Hassold taught art history at the New College of Florida in Sarasota for over 50 years and had quietly amassed about $2.8 million in wealth The inheritance amounts ranged from about $26,000 to $560,000Thirty-one people got the surprise of a lifetime when they found out their former college professor had left them the majority of her life savings. Professor Cris Hassold taught art history at the New College of Florida in Sarasota for over 50 years. She was known for her unorthodox teaching style and for forging close, life-long bonds with her students, per The New York Times. 'She had a collection of students in the same way that she had endless collections of books,' recalled Dr. Nicole Archer, 49, one former student who now teaches at Montclair State University in New Jersey. When Hassold died in 2020 at the age of 89, a number of her former students received word that she had left them something in her will — though none knew what, exactly, the bequeathment would entail. What those former students didn't know is that Hassold — who never married or had children of her own — had amassed a $2.8 million estate over her lifetime, and that she opted to divide the amount among 36 people, 31 of whom were former students, per The Times. The Times states that Hassold allotted the amounts, which ranged from about $26,000 to $560,000, based on factors like how close she was to the student as well as how much she thought they needed it. Her former students have since used the money on everything from medical expenses to downpayments on homes. The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now! Archer, who was one of the students who inherited money from Hassold, told The Times that she received a package from Sarasota in August of 2021 — and found a check for $100,000 inside. 'I truly, honestly believed that I read it wrong,' she told the outlet, adding, 'I remember following the number with my finger, making sure I understood how many zeros it was.' Archer went on to tell The Times that meeting Hassold as a college freshman was a life-changing experience. 'It was kind of like the most amazing moment I had ever had,' she recalled. 'She [was] just herself. It was a type of woman I had never met.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest was known to refer to her students as her kids, per The Times. She held long dinners at local restaurants, where she asked students about their dreams and aspirations — while also pushing them to think practically about exactly how they would achieve their goals. 'What do you want to do and how do you get there? Who do you like to read? Where do they teach? They teach abroad? How do you save up the money to go?' her past students recall her asking, per The Times. Other former students felt as though they received a kind of full-hearted acceptance from Hassold that they didn't necessarily get at home. Former New College student Katie Helms, 47, got emotional when remembering her old mentor. 'I'll never get the kind of acknowledgment from my parents that I got from her,' Helms, a queer woman, told The Times. 'I think about her almost every day." Read the original article on People
