A Note to Yemeni School Teachers:

Seeing the culmination of your efforts today in your professional development presentations and plans was inspiring. I want you to know that you have much in common with teachers in St. Paul.

• You attend professional development and get excited about new ideas despite persistently large class sizes.
• You are eager to share ideas with your colleagues despite a demoralizing lack of safe and healthy buildings.
• You are eager to learn new ideas from your colleagues despite crippling financial shortages in education.
• You are not afraid of accountability despite administrative favoritism, student threats, and parental influence.
• You belong to your union and you look for ways that you can work as a union member to improve your working conditions and student learning conditions.
• You have entered the profession to make a difference to your community and the future of your country or as a way of giving back for what opportunities your community or country gave you.

I look forward to the day when I can introduce you to St. Paul teachers, and in solidarity, we can work together.