Sunday, September 11, 2011

Remembering 9/11

















It was my first week as principal
supervising seven brand new teachers
and the other more mature crew.
We arrived at school with word
of the breaking news and watched
in horror as the story unfolded.

One of the new teachers cried,
“I’m too young for this I want
my mommy and daddy.”
Word from the district office
said, “Keep the T.V. off.

Make the day as normal as possible
to keep the children calm.
Until we get more news, there
is nothing else to do.”
I gathered the teachers in one room
and told them the plan,

reminding them the event was happening
in New York, several thousand miles away
and nothing would be served by frightening
the children today. “But what if they should
ask?” one teacher queried.

“Let them know school is a safe place
and we will do everything on schedule
until it is time for them to go
and when they get home they can
talk to their parents about the events.”

One teacher was not in the group.
I walked to her class after the bell,
she was busy telling the kids the dangers
of war. One little girl was curled in a fetal
position, crying and wanting to go home.

I stepped in to let them know,
"Yes, a bad thing has happened
but you’re safe here at school
and we’re going to keep it that way."

The little girl uncurled, moved closer
to touch my hand and everyone took a deep breath
because our day would go as planned.

I handled calls from frightened parents
assured them we would be safe. If they wanted
they could take their kids home but
I didn’t think it was in their best interest.

The police came to meet with the teachers
to let them know the city was on alert.
A big sigh of relief and nervous laughter
and comments about how handsome they were
and did I get their names and numbers?

I announced on the school speaker
before the kids went home,
"Something terrible has happened
but the terrorist have won
if we become afraid.

Our best defense is to move on
to create the future we want.
If ever there was a time for heroism
and leadership today is the one."

I heard a cheer from the classrooms
then waited outside to say goodbye
to the students as they went home,
followed by the teachers who rushed
out to be with their families.

When the school was quiet
after a very stressful day
I received a call from my oldest son,
he said, “We, lost the baby.”

Those were the first tears I shed.
I cried with my son, for the loss
of his son not carried to full term...
one more casualty of the day.

Whenever I’m asked to remember
events of 9/11, I can recount in detail
the actions of those courageous teachers
who did what was needed, didn’t give in
to their fears but kept the children safe
and Democracy alive for another day
then I wept for the loss of my grandson.

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