Senior Massachusetts education officials receive preview on Mass 9/11 Fund’s new PBS U.S. History Collection digital resources for teachers and students

Pat Bavis (left), chair of the Massachusetts 9/11 Fund's Family Advisory Committee, speaks to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Board about the new digital curriculum resources for teachers and students. Joining Pat in the presentation were Ken London of the Mass 9/11 Fund (center) and Elizabeth Gardner of GBH Education (right). 

The Massachusetts Secretary of Education and Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Board received a preview of the new PBS U.S. History Collection’s 9/11 digital resources for teachers and students at the DESE Board Meeting on April 28th.

The resources were developed through a partnership between GBH Education and the Massachusetts 9/11 Fund.

Elizabeth Gardner, senior video producer at GBH Education, opened the presentation by discussing the gaps in existing 9/11 curricula nationwide.

“While the U.S. History Collection is extensive, we recognized the significant gap in resources dedicated to the events of 9/11, particularly for a generation of students born after 2001,” Gardner said. “Our collaboration with the Massachusetts 9/11 Fund proved to be an ideal solution for addressing this critical need.”

Working closely with the Massachusetts 9/11 Fund, GBH Education’s video production and curriculum teams produced a series of three videos for high school and middle school students with three objectives:

· To provide a clear account of the events of September 11th, 2001, the deadliest terrorist attacks in U.S. History, and how brave individuals tried to thwart the attacks.

· To outline the short and long-term impacts of the attacks

· To explore how 9/11 is remembered through memorials in Boston, at Ground Zero, the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, PA.

Pat Bavis, the Mass 9/11 Fund’s Family Advisory Committee (FAC) chair and brother of Mark Bavis, who perished on United Airlines Flight 175 in the attacks, discussed how FAC members have shared their own personal journeys since 9/11 with students through school assemblies and in classrooms for more than 15 years.

“We knew we made such powerful points to students, not just about the tragedy of that day, but what good came out of that day,” Bavis said. “Kids today – and even some teachers – were not even born when the 9/11 terrorist attacks occurred. We can’t forget about this.”

Pat drew a parallel between his experience in the 1970s when his history teacher at Catholic Memorial High School used videos to leave a lasting impression with him about the lessons of Pearl Harbor and the Vietnam War.

“I have carried those lessons through my life to the point that I am now 65 years old,” Bavis told the hushed officials and audience at the board meeting. “Through tragedies, through wars, good has to come out of it. This is what we want to teach these students who go through so many difficult times and will have tragedies of their own. We want to make sure they come out of those stronger, so they can succeed in their own lives.”

Ken London is the Mass 9/11 Fund liaison who along with Pat Bavis saw the need for a more professional approach to teaching 9/11.

“I’m amazed when I talk to people today about 9/11 that many don’t realize that it has been 25 years since the horrific attacks,” London told board members. “They have forgotten that the attacks began on the two flights that originated out of Boston’s Logan International Airport – American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175.”

London also shared with DESE officials that a student roundtable will be held on 9/11 this year during the 25th anniversary commemoration at the State House, with 100 students from nine schools expected to be on hand to hear from 9/11 family members.

Katherine Craven, the DESE chair, applauded the Mass 9/11 Fund and GBH Education for providing the preview on the standards-aligned digital resources, which will now be reviewed by the DESE curriculum team.

“The state does not mandate what local districts have in their curriculum, but once the DESE review is completed, we will notify teachers across the state of their availability through our targeted social studies newsletter at the start of the school year in August,” Craven said.

DESE Commissioner Pedro Martinez emphasized that 9/11 is already part of the standards for what must be taught in schools across Massachusetts.

“Our teachers are always looking for resources and GBH Education is an amazing partner,” Martinez said. “With that partnership, there isn’t any doubt about the quality. Know that we are committed to deepening that partnership and to ensure our teachers are aware of these resources.”

Stephen Zrike, the Massachusetts Secretary of Education, was a fifth-grade teacher in Massachusetts when the terrorist attacks happened in 2001.

“This presentation evoked a lot of memories for me,” Zrike said. “I appreciate the time and the diligence that you put into this. I know there is tremendous support for this 25th anniversary and the importance of getting the message out to our students and educators. DESE will review the resources per their protocols. As part of the administration, I can assure you we will strongly advocate and get the word out.

“Educators want these tools. I think everybody wants to make sure they do this well, they want to make sure they get these tools and messages appropriately and sensitively to the kids.”

Zrike also praised the members of the Mass Fund’s Family Advisory Committee for their sustained dedication to sharing their own painful stories with high school students.

“That’s very powerful,” Zrike said. “Out of a painful moment, to come forward and speak about making good from obviously a devastating moment in our nation’s history…I commend you.”

The Massachusetts 9/11 Fund, in partnership with GBH Education, will preview the new digital resources for educators and the general public during a roundtable discussion at the Boston Public Library on May 19th from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Details on that event will be shared in a future Mass 9/11 Fund blog post.