SLATER'S 9/11 EDUCATION LEGISLATION GAINS SUPPORT FROM 9/11 EDUCATION FOUNDATION

Assemblyman Matt Slater (R,C-Yorktown) announced that his legislation to strengthen September 11 education in New York schools is gaining support from the 9/11 Education Foundation as lawmakers renew their push to ensure future generations understand the events, sacrifices and lasting impact of Sept. 11, 2001.

Slater introduced A.7919, Firefighter Joseph P. Spor Jr.’s Law, which would require the state education commissioner to establish Sept. 11 awareness curriculum or instruction for school districts. The 9/11 Education Foundation has publicly supported the legislation and called on state leaders to advance the measure. State Sen. Rob Rolison (R-Poughkeepsie) is also introducing the legislation in the Senate, giving the bill a sponsor in both chambers of the state Legislature. Slater's Assembly bill is currently before the Assembly Education Committee.

“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.”

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.

Sen. Rolison said: “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.” 

The push comes as New York and the nation mark the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and as fewer students have a personal connection to that day. While approaches vary significantly nationwide, recent reporting found that 25 states currently have laws or education standards that require or expect public schools to provide instruction specifically on the Sept. 11 attacks. Arizona law requires 9/11 instruction for students in grades seven through 12, while Florida law requires certain middle and high school courses to dedicate at least 45 minutes to instruction on the attacks.

For the 9/11 Education Foundation and the Foley family, preserving the history of September 11 is deeply personal. FDNY Firefighter Thomas J. Foley, also of Rescue Company 3, was killed at the World Trade Center. His brother Daniel and father, Tom, searched Ground Zero until Daniel found Thomas on the 11th day. They continued searching afterward to help other families bring their loved ones home. Tom Foley later died from 9/11-related leukemia in 2016, and Daniel Foley died from 9/11-related pancreatic cancer in 2020.

“The Foley family's story is a heartbreaking reminder that the consequences of September 11 did not end when the smoke cleared at Ground Zero,” Slater continued. “We owe it to the Foleys, the Spor family and every family who lost someone on that day or in the years since to preserve these stories. This should transcend politics. September 11 is part of our shared history, and teaching it to the next generation is one of the most meaningful ways we can honor those we lost.”

Slater and Rolison are calling on their colleagues in both houses of the Legislature to advance Firefighter Joseph P. Spor Jr.’s Law and ensure Sept. 11 education remains part of New York classrooms for generations to come.

“Twenty-five years later, ‘Never Forget’ must be more than a phrase,” concluded Slater. “It must be a promise we keep by honoring the past, educating the future and ensuring the courage and sacrifice of September 11 are remembered for generations to come.”