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Tragedy offers a live history lesson
By KENT FISCHER
© St. Petersburg Times, NEW PORT RICHEY -- Teacher Tim Newman made plans to review a chapter about the Civil War on Wednesday, just in case his students didn't want to talk about the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. He didn't need the preplanned lessons. The terrorist attacks were all the kids wanted to talk about during Newman's second-period advanced placement history class at River Ridge High School. The kids had a lot to say. Predictably, some kids wanted an immediate retaliatory strike. Others, though, said the attacks have left them questioning America's relations with other countries and our own "over confidence." "It breaks your whole world apart," said 11th-grader Becky Little. "We could be in so much danger and not even know it." The district held classes as normal Wednesday. Student attendance was down only slightly from a typical day, school officials said. Extra-curricular activities, which had been canceled on Tuesday, were up and running Wednesday. Superintendent John Long said he had no immediate plans to cancel weekend football games or other after-school events. "We need to get this country back to normal," Long said. "Unless we get some indication from law enforcement that it would be unsafe to hold these events, we'll keep them on." Teachers were encouraged to talk about the events with their students. During times of crises, teachers can play an important role in helping children synthesize information and put events into historical context, Long said. On Tuesday morning, Newman's students watched together in silence as the horrific attacks were broadcast live on their classroom television. The students said little, and only exchanged dumbfounded glances, Newman said. Twenty-four hours later, the students couldn't contain their questions: Why didn't the airplane passengers overpower the hijackers? How were the terrorists able to pull off such a coordinated attack? How will history look back upon the events of Sept. 11, 2001? "How does this compare to Pearl Harbor?" asked student Brandon Chavis. "They symbolized America in the skies. Think about the airlines they chose: United and American." "That's the price you pay for democracy," answered one girl. School officials said that similar discussions took place in classrooms around the district on Wednesday. Teachers call such events "teachable moments" -- unexpected events through which larger lessons can be imparted. Newman used the attacks to impress upon his students the importance of not jumping to conclusions and to not single out scapegoats based simply on race or nationality. "Patience is what you need here," he said. "I have family who are Arabic and Muslim," one student said nodding. "Why should we round them up?" Newman told the students that it's likely that Tuesday's events may one day be distorted by historians. He urged students to gather copies of local newspapers and to tuck them away. "You don't have to read them right now, but one day -- 20 years from now -- you're children will ask you about what happened," Newman said. "This will be in your children's textbooks one day, and they'll have questions about it." A positive effect of Tuesday's bombings, several students said, was an increased feeling of patriotism and community pride. One girl noted that every house on her street displayed an American flag on Wednesday. Others commented that, for one day at least, partisan politics and racism seemed to be put aside. "When you saw people covered in dust, running in the streets -- it was all about survival; all the hatred washed away," said student Gina Kette. "I was so proud to be an American. They can damage our symbols but that won't stop us."
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