Anastasios "Stasi" Kamoutsas, a top aide to Gov. Ron DeSantis, was confirmed as the next Education Commissioner in a unanimous vote on Wednesday, just one day after another prospective education leader was shot down by DeSantis allies.
The Florida Board of Education resoundingly approved of Kamoutsas, one of DeSantis's four deputy Chief of Staff officers, to replace Manny Diaz, Jr. as the state's chief education official. The unanimous vote, marked by light-hearted jokes and effusive praise of the 36-year-old Miamian, tells a vastly different story than the brutal rejection of Dr. Santa Ono as University of Florida's president just one day earlier.
The difference? DeSantis sidelined himself for Ono.
For Kamoutsas, he, First Lady Casey DeSantis, and the DeSantis communications team rolled out a social media firestorm of support. Hours later, the governor officially recommended him for the post.
And Wednesday morning, less than 24 hours after DeSantis's stamp of approval, the state Board of Education named Kamoutsas as Diaz's successor.
"I want to thank Gov. Ron DeSantis for the trust and support he's bestowed on me over the past six and a half years that I've worked in this administration," Kamoutsas said, before thanking the governor's staffers who are often "unfairly attacked" and urging them to "keep fighting the good fight."
He addressed Diaz and Richard Corcoran—strong DeSantis allies, both of whom are or will be heading up Florida colleges—as his "brothers," promising to continue to work to eliminate DEI initiatives, remove pornography in schools, and protect women's sports.
"If given this opportunity, you can rest assured that I will take the baton and continue to run the race," Kamoutsas added.
These hot-button, highly politicized issues were the name of the game during Dr. Ono's Board of Governors meeting on Tuesday. The confirmation meeting turned into a "court of law," some members argued, as DeSantis allies grilled the immunologist for three and a half hours on DEI, campus protests, and sex changes before blocking him from becoming the next UF president.
It was the BOG's first-ever rejection in its 22-year history, leading some politicos to speculate that academics like Ono are weighted lower than ex-GOP lawmakers in Florida's rapidly evolving education sphere.
After top speakers, including former Lieutenant Gov. Jeanette Nuñez and former House Speaker José Oliva, lauded Kamoutsas as a "dear friend" and ideal for the job, the Board unanimously appointed him to the post.
His appointment comes days after DeSantis appointed Diaz to be the interim President of the University of West Florida—a role that takes effect on July 14, should the Board of Governors approve him.
