Education Secretary urges schools to teach 9/11 lessons on 25th anniversary

Education Secretary Linda McMahon sent a letter to schools urging them to mark the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks with an age-appropriate lesson, a moment of silence at the time the first plane struck the World Trade Center, and opportunities for student reflections. She asked educators to recount the heroism of individuals like the United Flight 93 passengers, "Man in the Red Bandana" Welles Crowther, and Lieutenant Colonel Marilyn Wills, who helped save lives at the Pentagon.

The guidance references the death toll of 2,977 and the sequence of the four hijacked flights. McMahon’s appeal aligns with President Donald Trump’s Patriot Day proclamation, which orders U.S. flags to be flown at half-staff. She framed the instruction as a way to give students moral clarity about the attacks and their lasting impact on the nation.