What Happened After 911?

Natural disasters happen all the time; they cannot bedeceased. We are strapped now with the cost of a
avoided. In the winter of 1982, a tremendouswar and the problems that war brought to many of
snowstorm hit Washington, DC government andour nation young people and those that we love.
private sectors employees were released early, busThese problems have taken our sons, daughter,
and rail system ran at a snails pace if at all; Metrouncles, nephews, mothers, father, grandfathers, and
subway train derailed; snow and accidents cloggedmore. The actions of this war have been even more
roads. In the midst of this mad house, there was atroublesome to our educational system, which have
clam feeling in the air. Strangers became saviorssuffered. We continue to discuss history and what
when they offer some a ride or an overnight stay.history means to us all for freedom to learn. But our
The snow frightened us, but it was only snow andchildren are not seeing history as it is in a nation that
we got thought it.continues to defeat our children in the classroom with
The events of September 11, 2001, a bright sunnycrucial cuts in their education and other issues facing
day, brought horrific terror to our country. This wasthem nationwide.
not a drill or a snowstorm; it was the real thing - anWe continue to cut our children out of a great
act of terrorism on our own land. Peace on our landeducation in a nation that continues to tell our youth
had been compromised. Many were concerned abouta great education leads to great exposure to wealth
loved ones; people from all over were running forand throughout the world. Many of the statics during
safety; thousand were stranded at airports acrossthe Census data shows that the poverty of socially
country. No one could have anticipated this happeningdisadvantage and under-served youth in this nation
in the United States. This nation has not witnessedfrom 1954 when segregation of our schools ended
many terrorist acts for crime and violence, but onbrought no real relief to the problem in the schools
September 11, 2001, this country was victimized withsystem. We have made progress in the realm of
brutal violence.education with notes scholars like Michael Eric Dyson,
Firefighters, police officers, the Federal Bureau ofHenry Louis Gates, Maya Angelo, and others, but our
Investigation, (FBI); the Federal Emergencyyouth continue to get shafted in our educational
Management Agency; and the America Red Crosssystem. Our desperate plea to overhaul the health
descended on New York City, Washington, DC, andsystem is probably needs, but know one ever
Pennsylvania, immediately to assist in the rescuediscusses the need to overhaul our educational
efforts. Government Agency and corporations andsystem.
the national media wireless service was on alert inAtlanta, Georgia Clayton county and numerous other
the metro area and nationally. That day, allacross the county is a perfect example of an
government agencies in Washington DC and theeducational system that needs an overhaul, while
nation release thousand of people from work andpaying out thousands of dollars to professionals that
into the streets to return home or to a safe place.accountability for change never changes the outcome
As a media professional sitting on a bench outsideof the Clayton County schools or schools in the
USDA in Washington, DC I discovered an elderly ladyWashington, DC Nations Capital school system. It was
looking for some release and a way to get home. Ionly after these financial obligations were disbursed
was on the cell phone trying to get my sister andthat Clayton County situation changed. Why is our
brother on the phone that lives in New York Citynation educational professional not held accountable
where the first aircraft crashed into the World Tradeto the professionals that the school system
Center, because my sister frequently visited theemployee. Look at the California problem with 9
building to see her customers.million of educational cuts in many of the
After hearing from her, I returned my attention tounder-served communities, however private
the elderly woman trying to get home like so manyinstitutions do not become effected by many of
others that were frighten because of the terroristthese problems.
act. We walk as far as Union Station in Washington,Now the nation is being held hostage for nonpayment
DC until a kind gentleman driving a National Instituteto our school system nationwide while Former
of Health passenger van that was traveling up NorthPresident Bush "No Child Left Behind" program
Capital Street to his Rockville, MD location. When thebecame a laughing matter in most communities. Now
passenger van stops a kind gentleman offer us a ridewe are faced with deficits that have brought this
and a cold beverage on the hot day of fear. Wecountry to it knees and President Obama campaign
were all grateful for the cold beverage and the ride,speech to help people from the bottom up has
but even with the problems we were all facing thechanged course and our child get left behind again,
people on the bus was friendly and relaxes despite itcould become another program left behind. These
all.problems are not President Obama fault but he still
Now that we have seen the Iraq war and the 32,plays an equal role for changes that will not happen
000 causalities that put their lives on the line for thisfor our children education or us anytime soon. The
county to keep us safe, we wander how our formerAdministration continues to bailout big corporations
President Bush moves on with his life when he hasand we the people still are suffering. We are still
destroyed a country with the fear of 911, byfighting a war but in the United States, the war to
encouraging our young people to become soldiers,survive and to educate our children to become
which have served and worked so hard to keep safecitizens.
from whom, not Suddan Hussein, because he is