ST. CLOUD TIMES — Gov. Tim Walz had a few pieces of advice for soon-to-be-teachers at St. Cloud State University. Among them?

“Stay out of the lunchroom,” he joked.

Monday marked the start of the governor’s weeklong education tour, which started at the Minnesota Rural Education Association Conference in Brainerd before Walz’s stop at St. Cloud State.

Walz, a former high school teacher, toured St. Cloud State’s School of Education and spoke with students earning their education degrees about his background in education and issues facing the field, including funding shortages, achievement gaps in educating minority students, teacher retention and growing mental health needs.

Read more: Gov. Walz talks achievement gap with SCSU education students