In recognition of the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center, New York State Senator Rob Rolison has introduced Seante Bill 10693 which would requiring the establishment of September eleventh awareness curriculum or instruction for school districts. 

Today, nearly 40% of Americans were either not yet born on 9/11 or were too young to remember that day firsthand. Requiring this curriculum ensures future generations understand what happened that day, remember the lives we lost, honor the heroes who ran toward danger and learn how our nation came together in the days that followed. 

“September 11, 2001, is a day that forever changed our nation, our state and the lives of countless New York families. As a former police officer, I will never forget the courage of the first responders who ran toward danger, the innocent lives we lost or the extraordinary way Americans came together in the days that followed. But for today’s students, September 11 is history, not a memory. We have a responsibility to share what happened that day, the sacrifices that were made and why we have vowed to never forget. I am proud to join my colleague, Assemblyman Matt Slater, to sponsor Firefighter Joseph P. Spor Jr.’s Law in the Senate so that the lessons, heroism and legacy of September 11 continue to be passed from one generation of New Yorkers to the next.” 

Firefighter Joseph P. Spor Jr.’s Law would require instruction addressing the historical context of

terrorism; the attacks on the World Trade Center, Pentagon and United Airlines Flight 93; America’s

recovery and response; the global consequences of the attacks; and the examples of heroism, resilience

and service that emerged during and after 9/11. Educational resources must be age-appropriate, factually

accurate, and sourced from reputable sources. The legislation is named in honor of FDNY Firefighter Joseph P. Spor Jr., a member of Rescue Company 3 who made the ultimate sacrifice on Sept. 11, 2001.

In the New York State Assembly, this bill is A07919A, sponsored by Assemblyman Matt Slater and is supported by the 9/11 Education Foundation. Slater represents the 94th Assembly District, which includes parts of Putnam and Westchester counties, including the towns of Kent, Patterson, Putnam Valley, Carmel, Southeast, Somers and Yorktown, as well as the village of Brewster.

“Twenty-five years ago, our nation witnessed unimaginable evil, but we also witnessed extraordinary courage, sacrifice and unity,” said Slater. “As the generation that remembers September 11 firsthand grows older, we have a responsibility to make sure those stories are never lost. The support of the 9/11 Education Foundation and Senator Rolison sends a powerful message that ‘Never Forget’ cannot simply be something we say—it has to be something we teach.”