GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – This Saturday marks the 20 year anniversary of a dark day in American history. Most of us can remember where we were on 9-11, 2001, the day hijacked planes hit the World Trade Center towers in New York City, the Pentagon in Washington D-C and a field in rural Pennsylvania. Almost 3 thousand innocent people lost their lives. Today, we begin a look at how 9-11 affected 4 people in Wisconsin, their response that day and how it continues still.
“I had a prep hour that year, the first hour. I went down to get copies out of my mail box and the lady said Jason, something is happening in New York.”
It started as a typical day at Green Bay Preble High School. Jason Baudhuin was then a 9 year history teaching veteran. Upon getting the word from the office about the developments playing out in New York City, he turned on the TV in his classroom and the students noticed.
“And it was unusual the kids in the class came in and thought we get to watch TV. They could on my face immediately and I said something is going on in New York.”
Planes crashing into the World Trade Center Towers caused the kids to at first be confused…domestic ? foreign ? an accident ? Had to be an accident.
“I couldn’t explain it to them. I’m their history teacher, it’s a history class. And they’re looking up at me for answers and I’m going I don’t know.”
Baudhuin remembers everything about his classroom that morning…
“First seat that morning Kyle, second seat Kimberly, 3rd seat Rachel. And I can still see Kyle looking at me like Mr. Baudhuin, what’s happening here?”
And the students kept coming back….
“Many of them came back during the course of the day, during their study halls and lunch, and they said what’s going to happen, can you tell me what you know?”
Fast forward over the past 20 years and 9-11 is still a part of Beauduin’s lesson plan…even though students now weren’t alive when it happened.
“We need to reflect on what did we learn from it? I can’t create the emotion that existed, but what can we learn from it is what I’m always tiring to teach.”
And, sadly there’s an irony he can see. Osama Bin Laden’s end game was to chip away at the U-S economy and divide Americans. Does any of that sound familiar ?
“We’re now attacking each other, just as he had hoped. And I can’t take that as a history teacher.”
He’s not ready to give up on America. But Jason Baudhuin believes teachers need to focus on 9-11 as more than a stand alone incident with today’s students.
“I think we should look at all the evidence that’s real and legit. And then argue it and disagree, but make our country better through that argument. That’s what gives me hope.”
Tomorrow…..
I like to think that we helped in that grieving process to let them give their emotions to a fellow officer….even though we’re from a different area.”
A Wisconsin brat fry in the middle of Ground Zero. 9-11, 20 Years Later, Wisconsin Remembers.
