DeSantis Recommends Anti-CRT, Anti-Communist Senator for New Education Commissioner

April 22, 2022 Updated 9:50 A.M. ET

TALLAHASSEE (FLV) – Gov. Ron DeSantis recommended State Senator Manny Diaz Jr., R-Hialeah, be appointed by the State Board of Education as the next education commissioner for the Florida Department of Education. 

“Manny Diaz has done a great job in the Legislature on education issues ranging from teacher pay to parental rights and choice,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “I am confident that he will serve our state well as the Commissioner of Education.” 

Sen. Diaz has served in the Florida Legislature since 2012. He championed legislation to ban schools from teaching that anyone is “inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously.” 

Diaz also supported legislation creating the Charter School Review Commission, creating the proclamation on “Victims of Communism Day” and requiring financial literacy education in Florida schools. 

“It is an honor to be recommended by Governor DeSantis to serve as the Education Commissioner,” said Senator Manny Diaz, Jr. “For my entire career I have worked to improve the education system to serve Florida’s students, parents and teachers. I am excited to get to work continuing the mission of the Governor to make Florida the Education State.”

Diaz has also worked as a teacher, coach, assistant principal and school administrator. 

“His experience as a classroom teacher early in his career brought incredible perspective to his work on education policy in the Florida Legislature and that knowledge will serve him well as he leads the Department of Education,” Florida Senate President Wilton Simpson said. 

The current education commissioner, Richard Corcoran, announced in March he is stepping down from the position.