Teaching 9/11: 25 Years Later

MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - Whether its high school or college south central Minnesota educators say for modern students, 9/11 is more familiar as a page in a history book than as an actual memory.

Professor Mimi Gerstbauer who teaches political science at Gustavus Adolphus College said even for many nontraditional students, the 9/11 terrorist attacks happened before they were born.

“I have to remember 9/11 was to them is like what Vietnam was to me and that was like ancient history to me as a college student,” Gerstbauer said.

Many of the topics that interested students in political science classes when she started teaching at Gustavus in 2001, terrorism and the U.S. War on Terror are less prevalent except in the context of historical discussions.

Professor Kevin Parsneau, a professor of political science at Minnesota State University, Mankato said when he has to teach about 9/11 now, he often has to keep in mind that for many students the changes it caused to foreign policy, U.S. politics and airport security were just normal facts of life they grew up with.

“I have to make it more relevant for the students of today, they know it happened, but the way it disrupted things is hard to explain,” Parsneau said.

Sara Tostenson, a social studies teacher at Mankato West, said she tries to make sure her students can still understand the emotional weight of the event with an oral history assignment.

Students have to talk with a parent or loved one about where they were on the day and what their thoughts were.

“I tell kids that there are moments in their lives that they will remember every moment of it, and they will remember every moment of it and it will be sitting in their memory for the rest of their lives and for 9/11 that was us,” Tostenson said.

Sarah Hallman said her father was at the airport in Chicago when it happened, working for Taylor Corp.

“I’m not really sure, but I’m guessing it was a little frustrating just because he flies a lot for work, but also he works with a lot of people from New York,” Hallman said.

She said when it comes to the impact of the event on American culture it was hard to imagine.

“It seems weird to think that before 9/11 they didn’t have TSA where they searched everything and it was so thorough,” Hallman said.

Tostenson said the hope is that by encouraging these conversations students can have a better idea about how these events shaped a generation and develop some historical research skills along the way.

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