As we approach the 20th anniversary of September 11, 2001, CAIR hopes and expects that all schools will remember and reflect on this tragic day in our country’s history. Teaching students about 9/11 and its impact on our nation and people around the world is critically important. It is just as important to educate students in an accurate way using reliable sources.
Although most schools teach students about 9/11 in an appropriate way, our civil rights organization usually receives a spike in complaints from students and families on anniversaries of 9/11. Some complaints involve peer-to-peer bullying, while others involve anti-Muslim content in lesson plans. In some instances, schools have used educational materials about 9/11 created by anti-Muslim hate groups.
With this in mind, the Teaching September 11, 2001 in Diverse Classrooms guide was created to share informative resources that your school district can use to ensure that your lesson plans about the 9/11 attacks are accurate and reliably sourced, protect Muslim students from bullying, and educate students about the impact that 9/11 had on all Americans, including American Muslims. These resources are intended for grades 6-12.