Pedestrians in lower Manhattan watch smoke billow from New York's World Trade Center on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001.
Pedestrians in lower Manhattan watch smoke billow from New York's World Trade Center on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001.
Amy Sancetta/AP
School Climate & Safety Collection

9/11: The Imprint on Schools

A quarter-century ago, the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks brought far-reaching changes to U.S. society, including the work of schools. Over time, Education Week’s coverage of the impact of the attacks has examined their influence on individual teachers’ lessons, school safety, federal education policy, and the place of religious and ethnic minorities in schools. Here are some of our stories about 9/11 and its long, complex aftermath.

The U.S. flag hangs on One World Trade Center during the 10th Anniversary Commemoration Ceremony attended by President Barack Obama and former President George W. Bush, at Ground Zero in New York, Sunday, Sept., 11, 2011 in New York.
The U.S. flag hangs on One World Trade Center during the a ceremony to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on Sept. 11, 2011, in New York. Now 25 years on, the event has shaped school safety, debates over patriotism, and even federal education policy in ways that continue to reverberate.
Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP
School & District Management How 9/11 Still Shapes Schools
Schools feel the ripple effects of 9/11 in how they handle safety, student trauma, and promoting patriotism.
Evie Blad, September 4, 2026
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11 min read
Images shows a stylized artistic landscape with soothing colors.
Getty
Student Well-Being & Movement Opinion What 9/11 Can Teach Us Today
We can only guess at what weighs on other people. Hurts and wounds are not always visible on the outside.
Pamela Cantor, September 15, 2021
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1 min read
Members of the military are seen on the grounds of the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial before the start of the September 11th Pentagon Memorial Observance at the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2018.
Members of the military are seen on the grounds of the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial before the start of the Sept. 11 observance at the site in 2018.
Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP
Social Studies Opinion We Lived Through History on 9/11. Our Students Are Doing the Same Today
On the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks, a teacher explains how to help students understand the day's significance.
Brandon Graves, September 9, 2021
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4 min read
Education Opinion A Timeless, Timely Challenge to Schools at 9/11's Anniversary
In a popular novel, Joe Klein once explained the need for greater civility and respect in society. It's a plea that's especially relevant for schools as we remember the tragedy of September 11.
Rick Hess, September 10, 2018
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2 min read
Education 9/11: How Education Week Covered the Story When Terror Touched Schools
The news organization found many education angles to pursue in the weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
Mark Walsh, September 10, 2016
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6 min read
Education Funding News in Brief Scholarship Fund Surpasses $100 Million for 9/11 Kin
A private scholarship fund for family members of 9/11 victims says it has awarded $115.9 million to 2,825 students.
The Associated Press, September 15, 2015
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1 min read
BRIC ARCHIVE
Jeff Dekal
School Climate & Safety Opinion Reaching the 9/11 Generation
The 9/11 generation can appear numb to violence, but Christopher L. Doyle suggests an antidote to student callousness.
Christopher L. Doyle, September 11, 2012
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7 min read
Education Opinion Reflecting and Recommitting on 9-11 Anniversary
The anniversary of 9-11 gives us a chance to come together and recommit to meeting the challenges we face as educators.
Learning Forward, September 12, 2011
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1 min read
Education Opinion The Little Chapel That Stood: Remembering 9/11

Around the Chapel,
Peter DeWitt, September 10, 2011
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3 min read
Federal Arabic Instruction on Rise in U.S. Schools Since 9/11
The teaching of Arabic in U.S. schools, while still relatively rare, has grown significantly since the 9/11 attacks.
Erik W. Robelen, September 9, 2011
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4 min read
Shayreen Izoli plays with her kitten in West Warwick, R. I. The junior says 9/11 spurred her to become an ambassador for her faith.
Shayreen Izoli plays with her kitten in West Warwick, R. I. The junior says 9/11 spurred her to become an ambassador for her faith.
M. Scott Brauer for Education Week
Teaching For Muslim Students, Life Changed After Sept. 11
Stigmatized by the terrorist attacks, Muslim students feel a continuing obligation to be ambassadors for their faith and their culture.
Nirvi Shah, September 8, 2011
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5 min read
Teaching Profession Opinion I Became a Teacher on September 11th
We were making our final descent toward LaGuardia airport in New York when my husband nudged me from his window seat.
Marilyn Rhames, September 7, 2011
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3 min read
Curriculum Education Dept. Unveils Resources Page for Teaching 9/11
The U.S. Department of Education, as well as many others, have been making available resources to help educators teach about 9/11.
Erik W. Robelen, September 2, 2011
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1 min read
A sign in Arabic saying “Arabic Class” hangs on the wall of Lalainya Goldsberry’s classroom at Lindblom Math and Science Academy in Chicago. More U.S. students are taking the language since 9/11, but far more study other foreign languages.
A sign in Arabic saying “Arabic Class” hangs on the wall of Lalainya Goldsberry’s classroom at Lindblom Math and Science Academy in Chicago. More U.S. students are taking the language since 9/11, but far more study other foreign languages.
John Zich for Education Week
Standards & Accountability Majority of States' Standards Don't Mention 9/11
While the causes, effects, and aftermath of the attacks appear to occupy little space in the classroom, in-depth lessons can be found.
Erik W. Robelen, August 30, 2011
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11 min read