Statement From Chancellor Porter on Remembering 9/11

Twenty years ago on September 11, 2001, our world and New York City changed forever. As a lifelong New Yorker, I personally know the fear and confusion that so many of us experienced that day. I was in my classroom teaching at the Bronx School for Law, Government and Justice that morning as my family frantically tried to contact my father who worked at the World Trade Center and my three-year-old daughter was in Pre-K in Harlem. It was a scary day but together we found strength in community during that difficult time.  Because of all the first responders I was one of the lucky ones, my dad made it home.

Recently, many students, educators, and family members from PS 89 and the Greenwich Village Middle School shared their September 11 experiences. Those stories, like countless others, remind us all of the profound humanity New Yorkers showed one another that day and the tremendous resilience of our school communities. 

We will never forget those who were lost on September 11. This city, its neighborhoods, and school communities serve as their legacy as we continue to overcome challenges with grace and strength.    

- Chancellor Meisha Porter