By Michael V. Cusenza
Legislation authored years ago by area elected officials will lead to a moment of silence on Monday—Sept. 11—in City public schools.
The bill, signed into law in 2019 by then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, was sponsored in the State Senate by Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Woodhaven) and in the Assembly by Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-Howard Beach). Since Cuomo signed the bill into law it has not been implemented due to remote learning from COVID-19 or Sept. 11 falling on a weekend.
The law, which calls for the observance of Sept. 11 Remembrance Day, mandates a brief moment of silent reflection and appropriate discussion at the start of the school day on every Sept. 11 in statewide public schools. According to the language in the bill, this would provide students with the “opportunity for silent prayer or for silent reflection” on the anniversary day, Pheffer Amato noted this week.
“The terrorist attack had, and still has, a deep impact on our state’s history and was felt by many residents in my district, and across our great state. There are so many of us who suffered personal loss because of the attacks on the World Trade Center, along with the impact it left. As no student currently in K-12 was alive during the attack, it is imperative that our public education system take the time to educate students on both the loss and heroism experienced on Sept. 11,” the assemblywoman said. “By mandating a brief moment of silent reflection every year on Sept. 11, we ensure that future generations will better understand this day and its place in our history.”
Photo Courtesy of Google
The law mandates a brief moment of silent reflection and appropriate discussion at the start of the school day on every Sept. 11 in statewide public schools.
After Cuomo signed the bill, Addabbo said the events of Sept. 11, 2001, “will be forever acknowledged by school students too young to have witnessed this life-changing day.”
“Since 2001,” Addabbo added, “our country has been united through four simple words, ‘We will never forget,’ and with the governor signing this measure, we can ensure that all school children will continue to keep those words active in their hearts and minds.”
