Getting Clear of the ‘They’ Rhetoric

Editor’s Note: As the country approaches the 10th anniversary of 9/11, Teaching Tolerance bloggers have written about their insights and experiences in the classroom as a result of the attacks. We offer these for your reflection and adoption.

After reading a Teaching Tolerance facebook [2] post asking how we would be marking the 10^th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, I started to think about how I would address this in my classroom. My new group of sixth-graders will be 10 and 11 years old. What they know about these events will not be from their memories but from what they have learned from their parents and teachers. And given the proximity of our school district to New York City, it is quite possible that I will have students who lost a family member on that day. However I decide to approach it in the classroom, it isn’t going to be easy.

My real concern began when I decided to ask my 13-year-old son what he knows about 9/11.

He seemed confused and asked, “What do you mean?”

So I asked the question again more clearly. “What do you know about what happened to the United States on Sept. 11, 2001?”

I could see recognition dawn on his face when said, “Oh yeah, they attacked us by flying airplanes into the towers.” When I pressed him further, asking who “they” were, my concern began to grow. Initially, he wasn’t sure, saying “another country, I can’t remember who, maybe Israel … no, no it was Pakistan.” Then he became positive. ”It was Muslim people in Pakistan who attacked us.”

It was just as I had feared.

I sat my son down and explained that the correct answer to who “they” were is terrorists, not Muslims. I explained that the country of Pakistan did not attack us nor did the religion of Islam attack us, but terrorists did and that distinction is important. He asked a lot of questions and I answered them to the best of my ability. We Googled information and had an open and honest discussion. My goal was for him to have an accurate understanding of the events so that he would not be carrying around skewed ideas based on misunderstood information of events he himself cannot recall. We talked about terrorism and how different groups or individuals carry out attacks for a variety of reasons. We talked about conflict resolution and tolerance and the importance of having respect for all people.

I was glad I had asked the question.

As a person who holds a master’s degree in Holocaust and Genocide Studies, I deeply understand the importance of teaching the lessons from the past to prevent atrocities in the future. I understand the essential need to use precise vocabulary when distinguishing between Germans and Nazis or Muslims and terrorists.

I understand that teaching a tragic event such as 9/11 can be emotional and difficult, but it is necessary to ensure that children understand events accurately so they do not develop prejudiced ideas about an entire group of people. As a teacher, I have a unique opportunity. While children may not be able to remember, I can help ensure that they never forget.

Spain is a middle school language arts teacher in New Jersey.