The state Senate approved Queens state Senator Joe Addabbo’s bill on Wednesday that would establish an annual day of remembrance on all city public schools each Sept. 11 to observe the anniversary of the worst terrorist attacks on American soil.
“While it may seem to many of us like the attacks only happened yesterday, it’s important to realize that the vast majority of the children in our schools today weren’t even born when this tragedy occurred,” Addabbo said on May 22.
With the bill, Addabbo hopes to educate the next generation of New Yorkers about the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
The legislation would create a moment of silence on the morning of Sept. 11 and encourage teachers to hold a classroom discussion on the history of 9/11.
“Even while our children are being taught about the almost 3,000 lives lost, and the more than 6,000 people injured on Sept. 11, [2001], they will also have the opportunity to learn how people of diverse backgrounds immediately came together following the attacks to begin efforts aimed at healing our country,” said Addabbo.
More than 3,000 people were killed on Sept. 11, 2001, when terrorists rammed hijacked planes into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The impact and ensuing fire caused both towers to collapse. Flight 93 had been hijacked by terrorists and was presumably headed for Washington, D.C., when passengers on board the plane, after hearing of the earlier attacks in New York and Washington, D.C., fought the hijackers up until the moment the plane crashed in Pennsylvania.
Addabbo’s district was hard hit by the attacks, as a result of the hundreds of residents, including many first responders from Rockaway who died in the attack.
The Assembly version of the legislation is now being reviewed by the Assembly Education Committee, chaired by fellow Queens lawmaker, Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan.
