It has been 15 years since the 9/11 tragedy and schools across America are holding another 9/11 memorial this year. But with many of the students unfamiliar with what actually happened, largely because they were too young or have not yet been born during the terror attacks, how will schools impart this very important moment in America's history?
In New York, where the Twin Towers once stood and its site is now called Ground Zero, teachers admit that the students of today don't have the same emotional reaction to the tragedy as those who have actually seen the horror unfold. But they make sure to impart significant details of this history to the kids, In fact, 9/11 memorial is added in the curriculum of New York's eighth to eleventh grade students.
According to Gothamist, New York students are taught about the formation of the Department of Homeland Security and its impact in the eighth grade, while students in the higher grades are taught about cyber war, weapons and the Patriot Act. The NYC Department of Education provides schools a list of resources for discussions every year, including topics on the heroes of 9/11.
Students in the third grade are oriented about K9 rescue teams in nearby New Jersey, while older kids are taught about interrogations methods and rights of prisoners. Some schools in the state of Tennessee conduct mock rescue operations or discuss the headlines. "I believe it to be my duty as an educator to never stop teaching the shock, horror, sadness and utter disbelief of that day," said Kenneth Roeten via USA Today. Roeten is a social studies teacher who still gets emotional about 9/11.
Educators say that even if most of the students today have been born after 9/11, there are plenty who are curious about this pivotal moment in America's history. "It surprises a lot of them," said Texas tenth grade teacher Jennalee Kwezi, via WCPO. There are also students who express concern that 9/11 might happen again, hence the teachers believe that the lessons and the 9/11 memorial are not only important, but necessary.
Is your child's school holding a 9/11 memorial? What about within the family? How do you discuss 9/11 with your kids? Let us know in the comments below!
