Florida Governor DeSantis recommends Manny Diaz as new state Education Commissioner

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis made his recommendation for the replacement of Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran when he steps down at the end of the month, naming educator and lawmaker Manny Diaz as his favored candidate for the job.

Diaz served as a Republican in the state legislature from 2012 to 2018, and has many years of experience as a teacher, school administrator, coach, and assistant principal in Florida’s schools.

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

DeSantis’ choice was backed by Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez. “Having served in the Legislature with Senator Diaz, I know he is a champion for education. As a friend and colleague I am confident to see him work to serve Florida’s students. His vast experience and knowledge as a former teacher, administrator, and policy maker uniquely qualifies him to continue making Florida a national leader in education,” said Nuñez.

Responding to the governor’s recommendation, Diaz said in a statement, “It is an honor to be recommended by Governor DeSantis to serve as the Education Commissioner. 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 made headlines recently by sponsoring legislation that would place strict guidelines around what can be taught in schools regarding race as it relates to American history. Diaz supports DeSantis’ position that critical race theory should not be taught in schools, in spite of almost no evidence to show it is being taught outside of higher education at all.

Diaz, a Cuban-American, said last month, “No one is trying to wash out or erase history. They have to teach about the fact that we had slavery, that we had Jim Crow laws … but our history also includes the fact that we have fought to remove those terrible things from our laws and our society.”