N.J. legislator wants to mandate 9/11 instruction in every public school curriculum

By The Staff | The Save Jersey Blog

TRENTON, N.J. – As the 15th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks arrives, Save Jerseyans, concern over whether the next generation of voters will learn about one of U.S. history’s most consequential modern dates may prove well-founded.

A large percentage of this year’s new class of high school freshman were born after the attacks.

Towers of LightAssemblyman Ron Dancer (R-Ocean County) says it’s time to address the disconnect by mandating a 9/11 curriculum for New Jersey’s public schools.

“For most of us, the events of September 11, 2001 are engraved forever in our memories. We saw it with our own eyes, on TV, and we will never forget,” explained Dancer. “What is easy to forget is that today’s high school students have no first-person recollection of this, the darkest day in a generation of American history. It is imperative that we teach our children about what happened, how the nation responded, and how it changed the world as we know it.”

21 U.S. states incorporate 9/11 into their schools’ official social studies curriculum.

However, a study conducted at the University of Wisconsin-Madison/Spencer Foundation discovered that those schools focus on achieving only “a cursory understanding of the attacks — just a few key facts without any context.”

Only a handful of states, including, Washington and Vermont, tackled expanded topics like the U.S. Patriot Act and other impacts on American society and culture.

“With this bill, the Legislature can make 9/11 a priority. For a new generation, it should hold the same significance as Pearl Harbor,” added Dancer. “The world changed because of the events of that single day. As a result, our children will face never-before-seen challenges in their futures.”

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RELATED: New Jersey’s 746 September 11th Victims

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