RE: Where were you when... a perspective from inside an American classroom as the heroes of September 11, 2001 did what they could. (featuring @hanshotfirst)
I was actually teaching a class on American Government when this happened. It was a college class, but I was teaching it at a local high school for students taking college credits before graduation. We were watching the musical "1776" about the founding of our nation, when another student who had been at an assembly came into the room and said we needed to take out the video and turn on the TV. The first plane had already hit at that point, and newscasters were speculating on what was going on. We saw the second plane hit live on TV. At that point, there wasn't much question of what was going on.
After class, I had a lengthy break until I had to go to the next school, so I went home as usual, and called my husband on the way. He was already up, which was unusual for him at that time of day, and he described the first tower falling to me on the phone as I drove home. I saw the second tower fall live on TV once I got home.
I had to go teach another class after that, but not much went on. Other teachers who were on breaks came into my classroom, and, along with the students, we all just silently watched the news coverage of what was happening in NYC and Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania.
About a year and a half later, I visited Ground Zero, which was still just a big hole in the ground. They were still cleaning up debris, even then, and you could clearly see all the levels of the underground parking garage, as well as the subway tunnel that led to it. Some nearby buildings were covered in black drape from top to bottom, as they were still too damaged to use, and hadn't been torn down or repaired yet. There was a makeshift memorial there with photos of those lost on that day, and messages written to them.
In the middle of the hole was a piece of metal from the wreckage that workers had fashioned into a cross.
It was all quite surreal.
Thanks for sharing your story. It was a strange day to be a teacher. Actually I bet you can fill in that blank with anything. It was a strange day to be a _________>
It was a strange day all around, that's for sure. They say the Baby Boomers always remember where they were when they heard JFK was shot. For my generation, we will always remember where we were when the Challenger exploded, and where we were when 9/11 happened. Some things are just permanently etched in great detail in your memory. This is one of them.
We must be around the same age. I was home "sick' from school the day the Challenger exploded. I was watching it live because they broke into the People's Court or Courtship of Eddie's Father or something. Was unreal.
I was in junior high. English class. The whole class went outside to watch the launch, since it could be seen easily from our location. I stayed inside to work on a short story I was submitting to a contest. I heard the news on the TV in a neighboring classroom reporting the shuttle had blown up, so I went outside to join my class. I saw the two trails of smoke up in the cloudless January sky. We were all pretty stunned and numb when we went back inside.
There's actually a picture of me somewhere taken during my visit to Ground Zero, and I'm smiling for the camera while there are two uniformed, armed National Guardsmen standing right behind me. The area was heavily patrolled and guarded at that time. I haven't been back there since they built the new tower. I wonder if it's still patrolled by the military?