As the 13th anniversary of the Sept., 11th 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center has just passed, I think it is fitting to discuss how Marlborough has dealt with remembering this tragedy.
Three years ago, on the tenth anniversary, the school dedicated an All School Meeting to remembering 9/11 where various faculty and staff spoke in addition to holding a moment of silence. In this assembly, the school community was able to remember those who suffered, as well as reminisce on the heroes. However, since then, there has been no unified, simultaneous commemoration throughout the entire school. Should the school have a moment of silence or an assembly every year on Sept. 11? Students throughout the school community have commented on this and noted that they would like to spend more time reflecting.
“I think 9/11 is an important part of our history and that we should commemorate it every year at Marlborough, whether it be in a Class Meeting or ASM, in order to keep those who died in our thoughts,” Abby ’16 said.
While there has been no all school commemoration since 2011, English Instructor Jessica Chaintreuil’s English IV Honors elective, 21st Century Novel, spends the first few weeks of class discussing 9/11 and the role the attacks have had not only on those who were directly affected by the tragedy, but how those who did not lose loved ones were able to move forward. The students read short stories and articles about different reactions to the tragedy and how people coped. For example, students looked at the opening clip of the Saturday Night Live episode that aired right after the attacks and also read an excerpt about how a woman baked a cake to help ease the pain. Furthermore, the students looked at how different media outlets dealt with the aftermath and how the actors and writers of the show tried to express their grief and move forward. The girls are currently reading Let the Great World Spin, which deals with a man who walks on a tightrope between the two Twin Towers in the 1970s and how this one moment has affected the lives of his fellow New Yorkers.
Izzy ’15, a student in the class, noted, “This class has been so intriguing, as it has been great to be able to openly discuss the 9/11 tragedy and the impact it has had on our society today. I think it would be great if we had discussions like the ones we have had in Ms. Chaintreuil’s class as a school in order to remember the tragedy.”
13 years later, the Sept. 11th, 2001 attacks are still extremely relevant in our society today with regards to foreign affairs in the Middle East and national security with defense as well as the implementation of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and new safety regulations on airplanes. The Sept. 11th, 2001 World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks are a defining event for the Millennial generation and more should be done to remember this tragedy.
