Earlier this school year, Upper School (US) students and faculty went about a normal day, walking to advisory and classes, while the date Sept. 11 appeared in tiny letters on a TV screen outside the Commons that outlined the week’s block schedule. That date was the only indicator of the horrific terrorist attacks that happened 25 years ago. US students received one email from the Head of the History Department Stacey Spring acknowledging 9/11, but otherwise it was crickets.

    Given that we are a Boston school, with two of the planes departing from Logan Airport and many families with parents working in New York, it was disappointing that the school didn’t take the time to acknowledge 9/11, especially on the 25th anniversary. Not only was this a tragic event for many families, but it left a lasting impact in history for the United States. Many of the United States’ current foreign policy actions and economic strategies are a result of a “post 9/11 effect.” For example, the United States invaded Afghanistan on October 7, 2001, to destroy al-Qaida, the group that was involved in 9/11, and consequently overthrew the Taliban regime.

    Sadly, our school stood out among both public and private schools in the Boston area for not recognizing this anniversary. Nobles held a whole assembly dedicated to remembrance; Dexter Southfield brought in Alison Crowther (the mother of Welles Crowther—“the man in the red bandana”); and Belmont Hill, Winsor and Newton South held a moment of silence and speeches by their head of school.

    Because the US didn’t recognize the date, it appears that the US is directly avoiding uncomfortable subjects. Even a simple mention of 9/11 would have given students and faculty an opportunity to reflect and remember. Yes, the US has a rigorous schedule and little space for activities outside of the curriculum, but even a brief moment of silence would give students time to reflect, grieve and remember the tragedies.

    By not discussing 9/11, our school shows it teaches us only how to take tests, not how to live in our country and learn its nuances. The US does a lot of amazing things within the curriculum and community, but it also needs to inform students about current events and bring a sense of reality to our bubble. Even when the school thinks it is protecting us from hardships, it is better to learn as a community, especially when the topics are controversial and sensitive.