Teaching Sept. 11: A more honest approach

Now, with the 10-year commemoration of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, some educators have decided to be more forthcoming with kids about exactly what happened. The educational company Pearson, which produces the widely used textbook “The American Nation” and online educational materials, has just overhauled its lesson plans regarding the attacks. “For people who witnessed the tragic events that day, the images of the burning towers rekindle very strong emotional memories. For students who do not have memories of September 11, the images, while powerful, do not carry the same emotional weight,” said Emily Swenson, an executive with Pearson. “These images appear to be no more traumatic to students than similar images of D-Day, Vietnam or other historical events.”