Alaska governor praises Filipino teachers

Over 100 Filipino teachers arrived in Alaska to help fill gaps in the teaching ranks in the middle of the pandemic. FACEBOOK

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy met with Filipino teachers from different Alaska school districts in honor of Filipino History Month and praised them for braving the challenges of teaching in a social and cultural environment .

When Alaska was faced with the national teacher shortage due to the pandemic, many school districts in the state were scrambling to fill the gaps in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 100 Filipino teachers arrived in Alaska to fill those roles in our state’s school district.

Alaska is home to more than 30,000 Filipino Americans, who are one of the largest Asian American groups in the state. In 2009, U.S. Congress recognized October as Filipino American History Month in the United States

“We appreciate you all coming over here to teach,” said Gov. Dunleavy to the group. “Teaching has its challenges, even in the Philippines, but then you come to America and there’s a new set of challenges with some different cultural aspects.

“For some of you who are teaching in rural Alaska, you are faced with an entirely different culture from your own. We recognize that this was not an easy decision to make, but we thank you for coming here and teaching Alaska’s youth.”

The meet and greet took place at the Atwood Building in Anchorage where Dunleavy thanked the teachers for their dedication and sacrifice in leaving their hometowns to teach in Alaska.

There were teachers from Tudor Elementary, Ptarmigan Elementary School, Willard L Bowman Elementary, Lower Yukon School District, Lake Otis Elementary School and the Kake City school district.

Also in attendance was the Philippine Honorary Consul Rebecca Carrillo and Deputy Commissioner Nelson San Juan from the Department of Labor.

Before being elected, Dunleavy spent nearly two decades in northwest Arctic communities working as a teacher, principal and superintendent.