Includes the attacks on September 11, 2001 in courses of instruction in patriotism and citizenship

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Sam Sutton says this is needed

On September 11, 2001, America suffered a terrorist attack on its soil resulting in the loss of over 3,000 American lives. The resulting devas- tation of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in downtown Manhat- tan, to the Pentagon in Washington D.C. and the crash of United Airlines Flight 93 in Pennsylvania, left an indelible mark on American and world society and history. The tragedy of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 is not required teaching in New York schools. The magnitude of the event on Americans and New Yorkers demands that it should be a part of our schools' core curriculum and taught at an age appropriate level as determined by State Education Department guidelines. Such guidelines exist in current Social Studies Standards in the State Education Department's Global History and Geography Online Resource incorporate turning point lessons, defined as a decisive moment or an event marking a unique or important historical change of course that includes a lesson plan on September 11th. This legislation gives appropriate weight to the importance of this critical moment in history and ensures that current and future gener- ations of New York students will all be instructed on the events of that day, by requiring that all schools dedicate appropriate time and resources to teaching the events that forever changed America and the world.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.