TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA — Manny Diaz Jr. will continue to serve as Florida’s Education Commissioner under Ron DeSantis’ second term as governor. DeSantis announced the decision in a tweet just before the Thanksgiving holiday.
“Manny Diaz is an advocate for our parents, teachers, and schools,” DeSantis wrote on Twitter. “He has worked with me to keep indoctrination out and put parents in charge of their children's futures.”
In April 2022, the State Board of Education voted unanimously to appoint Diaz – a former Florida senator – to serve as Florida’s Commissioner of Education. Diaz is the first Hispanic Commissioner of Education in Florida’s history.
“I am proud of the work we are doing every day at the Department of Education to uphold parental rights and ensure every child in our state has the opportunity to succeed both in and out of the classroom,” Diaz told The Florida Standard.
“I look forward to building upon our groundwork in the upcoming term as we continue to support our educators, increase school safety measures, and guarantee a high quality education for all,” Diaz added.
Earlier this year, as a Florida Senator, Diaz sponsored the Individual Freedom legislation – known as the “Stop Woke Act” – to prevent woke indoctrination in the classroom and in corporate settings.
“I want to thank Governor DeSantis for being the most anti-woke governor in our nation,” said Diaz when DeSantis signed the bill into law on April 22, 2022.
Diaz is a former teacher, coach, assistant principal, and school administrator. He served in the Florida Legislature from 2012-2022. A graduate of St. Thomas University, Diaz also received a master’s degree in education from Nova Southeastern and completed a Harvard Graduate School of Education program for principals.
